


Sea Of Treasures

by OwlsWingFlying



Series: Rise of Wizardry: The Series [5]
Category: Brave (2012), How to Train Your Dragon (Movies), Rise of the Guardians (2012), Tangled (2010)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-19
Updated: 2020-09-19
Packaged: 2021-03-07 23:22:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 27
Words: 107,480
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26535763
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OwlsWingFlying/pseuds/OwlsWingFlying
Summary: "Sometimes even the Greatest Love has to end, so your Destiny can Begin." Her voice was hushed, but clearly heard in the quiet of the cavern... (The Big Four. Hogwarts AU, Fifth Year. No Pairings.)
Series: Rise of Wizardry: The Series [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1924375
Kudos: 27





	1. In The Distance

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome to Year 5! Brace yourselves.  
> WARNINGS!: Please recognize the fact that this story is rated T+. There will be violence, blood, course language, sensitive topics, and possible suggestive themes. READ AT YOUR OWN RISK!

**Music:** "I Can Go The Distance" from _Hercules_

 _NOTES:_ The Greatest Challenge in Life is Discovering Who You Are.

**Chapter 1: In The Distance**

"They're coming from off the Port Bow!" A man shouted from somewhere on the ship.

Men rushed to the left side of the ship, bows poised with arrows and swords raised as dragons descended upon their ship. Sparks of fire burst and popped overhead as razor sharp talons sliced through cloth sails and ropes, leaving deep marks and gauges in the wood.

"This is the fifth time this week!" Another cry rose above all the commotion while dragons dipped and dived, coming from all angles.

A brilliant blue Nadder swooped low, it's tail swiping to the side and sending needle-like spikes deep into the wood of the ship, only narrowly missing two men as the dove out of the way. A net swung over the Nadder, catching it by surprise, and the dragon squawked angrily as it fell down onto the deck. Several men ran forward to secure the dragon before it could start breathing fire.

"Watch the tail, lads!" A man with dark hair and dark eyes leaped onto the side rail of the ship, grabbing hold of a rope and wrapping it around his wrist as he scanned the sky.

"Captain Eret what should we do?!" One of the men ran up to him, staying on the ship's floor below.

"Stand our ground! We won't be scared off this easily!" Eret ordered, squinting up into the fluffy white clouds above.

The Summer sun shone brightly overheard, warming the day, and the clouds were small and few. A glimpse of shadow behind the cotton-like globs of moisture was the only warning before a dark figure dive-bombed straight towards the ship faster than anything the pirates had ever seen. A familiar shriek split the air, and several shouts went up.

"Night Fury!" The man next to Eret screamed.

"Hit The Deck!" Another man cried as the crew dropped flat onto the deck of the ship or ducked behind crates or barrels.

Eret's brow furrowed with determination as he grinned, and then he leaped off the ledge of the ship, using the rope to swing himself up onto the top deck where the wheel was. He landed perfectly on his feet and straightened just in time to see a blast of blue fire catch a barrel on the ship's deck, splintering it into tiny pieces as the deck caught fire.

The Night Fury swooped over the deck, and a much smaller figure leaped from the dragon's back and over the wheel, rolling on the floor of the upper deck and landing in a crouch a few feet away from Eret. The dragon landed on the opposite railing, roaring and releasing another blast. This time the Night Fury hit the net that trapped the Nadder, effectively scaring off the men that had been securing the spiked dragon as well, and the Nadder chirped loudly as it shook itself and then jumped into the air to rejoin the other dragons. Eret refocused on the small figure in front of him and smirked. The boy was still crouched low, but he'd drawn his dagger, and he flashed a smile.

"Well, you certainly never disappoint," Eret grinned, drawing his sword and holding it at guard. "You never give up, do you? It's been nearly two months, and you're still trying to chase us off."

"I could say the same about you," The boy snorted, easing back onto his legs, his right hand poised with the dagger. The Night Fury fluttered up onto the upper deck, curling around the boy's back, and the boy stepped back into the beast's side instinctually. "Strange, hostile person whom I don't know."

"I wouldn't consider myself 'hostile', I just want to know who you are." Eret stated more then questioned, raising an eyebrow and his sword.

"You first." The boy returned quickly, making Eret pause a moment, his sword drooping downwards in his hand before he recollected himself.

"...I asked you first." Eret replied, the smirk reappearing on his face.

"I asked you second." The boy also smirked, looking smug and devious. Eret chuckled in amused disbelief, and then lowered his sword to the side as he leaned forward.

"Very well," Eret said, bowing slightly to the boy. "I am Eret, Son of Eret. Captain of the BlueBlazer, finest Navigator alive... And you are?"

"...Uh..." The boy hesitated, his eyes darting to his dragon and then back to Eret. "C- Cat... Yeah. Cat."

"Really? Cat? Is that really the best you could come up with?" Eret scoffed, grinning widely at the scrawny boy in front of him.

"Give me a break, it's not the worst, and it's not like I've had a lot of practice." Cat told him, and Eret chuckled again but nodded in agreement. This kid was definitely strange, to say the least.

"You're not like some of the other... Dragon Enthusiasts I've crossed paths with, and you're obviously not like anyone from the Northern Kingdoms... So where does a kid like you come from?" Eret asked, slowly walking around Cat and his dragon, the pair shifting to keep their eyes on him.

"Nowhere important." Cat answered, his expression closed off and guarded. Not that it was ever particularly welcoming, but Eret liked to think they'd accumulated some sort of tolerance for each other over the past seven weeks of banter and duels. "Why are you still on my island?"

"Well, our original intentions for coming to shore here was to rest and repair the ship. Possibly replenish part of our food supply." Eret said honestly, glancing up at the crow's nest where two of his men had readied a net, aimed directly at Cat and his Night Fury.

"And then...?" Cat pressed as he and the Night Fury looked at Eret with rather dry expressions.

"Then you tried to chase us off the island." Eret shrugged as if it were obvious, and the twin dry expressions shifted into annoyance.

"So you decided to stay... why?" Cat asked again, and the Night Fury grumbled angrily behind him.

"Stubborn Curiosity! We are Pirates, after all." Eret grinned wickedly, and the Night Fury snorted at him before grumbling towards Cat.

"Oh, don't you start!" Cat told the dragon. "At least I'm smart enough to not get caught."

"You sure about that?" Eret inquired smugly as his men threw the net.

"Yep!" Cat smirked, holding onto the Night Fury as it leaped into the air, jumping over the net as it rushed passed them.

Eret yelled out at his men as the net hit him directly, knocking him to the deck, and Cat's chuckle brought the Captain's gaze upwards to see him on the back of the Night Fury on the lower mast. Three of Eret's men ran up to free him from the net, and Cat and his dragon leaped into the air, leaving the ship behind as Eret got to his feet. All of the other dragons gave various roars and squawks before following after the Night Fury, and Eret and his men simply stood and watched as the flock of dragons flew up towards the clouds.

"Where do you think he came from?" One of the crewmen that stood on the upper deck with Eret wondered.

"I have no idea." Eret murmured, grinning as he watched the boy fly away on the back of his Night Fury.

* * *

Toothless roared happily into the wind as they swooped down towards the clearing with the rest of their flock close behind them. Hiccup stretched forward in the saddle, enjoying the feeling of the wind in his hair. He took a deep breath of the cool air, catching the scent of Autumn in the distance as the warm sun hung low on the horizon, painting the sky and ocean with magnificent colors.

It had been roughly two months since Hiccup first came to the island, about two months since everything Changed. Summer was quickly drawing to a close, making way for cooler winds and colder nights. No doubt that Hogwarts would be receiving tuition soon, and his friends would start preparing for their fifth year in the weeks to come. He wondered if his friends had already forgotten him, or if they were angry about everything that had happened. He often found himself unable to sleep at nights, plagued by thoughts and questions of the place he once called home. So, during the day, Hiccup kept himself distracted with the nest and the island itself, not wanting to dwell on dangerous thoughts. He had learned quite a lot from the dragons, and he felt at peace among the nest and it's inhabitants. He could understand it.

The pirates, however, came a day after Hiccup awoke. At first, Hiccup and the other dragons kept their distance, hoping the strange men would leave on their own, but after some time they were still camped on the shore on the opposite side of the island. When one of their nest-mates got brave and drifted closer, the humans were spooked and attacked. Hiccup was fairly certain their intentions had been to scare the Nightmare off, but things escalated too quickly on both sides. Two months later, Hiccup wasn't sure if they were ever going to get rid of the pirates. Their Captain was weird. But Hiccup couldn't really fault anyone for that considering his own... eccentricity.

After all, Hiccup had caused the storm that shipwrecked Captain Eret and his crew.

The small flock landed on the outer edge of the clearing, close to the cliff-face. Shaking themselves, stretching, and curling up on the rocks warmed by the evening sun. Hiccup jumped off of Toothless and climbed out onto a tree that was growing out of the rocks, sticking out over the ocean as land dropped straight down behind it.

Hiccup climbed to the outer branches, using one hand to hold on as he leaned out towards the sea, his chin lifted and chest open as he felt the steady breeze in his hair, the salty spray of the ocean on his face. Music whispered in his ears.

It was the same old itch. The Call.

 _"Be careful, Hatchling."_ The Nadder's pretty blue scales shimmered in the light as she preened herself, but she watched Hiccup closely out of the corner of her eye.

"I'll be fine, Stormfly. When am I not careful?" Hiccup called, and Toothless snorted somewhere behind him. Hiccup turned and smiled sheepishly at his dragon who was crouched at the base of the tree, watching him. Toothless gave him an exasperated, but fond, look.

 _"Every minute of every day! I mean, if you aren't getting into trouble, you're usually asleep!"_ A green Terrible Terror zipped up Hiccup's leg and torso to rest on his shoulder.

"Thanks, Sharpshot." Hiccup replied dryly, giving the Terror a light glare.

Stormfly and Sharpshot, along with the rest of the flock, had been two of the dragons held at Berk and then at Hogwarts before Hiccup released them. The five other dragons had become good friends to Toothless and Hiccup, and they stuck together, even among the nest.

"You all worry too much." Hiccup told them, climbing out of the tree and bounding over to Toothless. Hiccup nuzzled the top of his head against Toothless's chin, and then slid closer to wrap his arms around his dragon's neck. Toothless's purr rumbled deep in his chest, and one of his large paws rested on Hiccup's back.

 _"Maybe, but that just shows we care."_ Toothless said, nuzzling Hiccup's hair with his cheek.

A short call brought all of their attention to the other side of the clearing. The Chief of the nest, Skullcrusher, stood waiting outside of his cave. Hiccup winced, highly aware of the intent that was radiating off of the large dragon, even from the other side of the clearing.

 _"He wants to speak with you."_ Toothless stated the obvious, sounding entirely amused.

"Do you think it's about our trip to see the pirates today?" Hiccup asked, remembering Skullcrusher warning some of the younger dragons away from that side of the island.

 _"You won't know until you speak to him."_ Toothless replied and gave Hiccup a shove with his head. Hiccup stumbled to his feet from the momentum, and then pouted at Toothless before trudging off to speak with Skullcrusher.

The hefty, dark green dragon was lounging comfortably at the foot of the spiral mountain when Hiccup trotted up and bowed politely. Hiccup couldn't sense any anger or annoyance, so he figured Skullcrusher probably wasn't upset with him for anything.

 _"Come and sit, youngling. I'm not angry and I won't bite."_ Skullcrusher snorted with amusement, and Hiccup breathed a small sigh of relief as he sat down beside Skullcrusher and looked out over the field where all the other dragons were resting, playing, preening. It was peaceful. _"How are you feeling? It has been some time since the Shadow Man came to our island."_

"...I guess I'm okay." Hiccup said slowly, shrugging uncertainly. He couldn't say this surprised him. Skullcrusher and Toothless had been working together to watch over him. Toothless and the other dragons from Berk protected, encouraged, and taught him, but Skullcrusher was much wiser and offered Hiccup guidance. "I've gotten used to... most of it, I think..."

 _"You're still unsure of how to handle this Change?"_ It was more of a statement than a question.

"I just... I don't know who I am... I don't know _what_ I am." Hiccup tried to explain. "I know I'm happy here, but something's still calling me... It's all so confusing, and I don't know what to do. I can't go back to Hogwarts or Berk, but where can I go from here?"

 _"I knew you would want the answers to those questions eventually."_ Skullcrusher sighed, his eyes tired and shining with a sad kind of smile.

"I'm not going to find them here, am I?" Hiccup inquired, already knowing the reply.

 _"The answers you seek will not be easy to find. You have no one to take your hand and guide you, like most Hatchlings do. You will have to trust your own heart."_ Skullcrusher told him. _"The journey will be long, and hard, but at the end you will have the answers to your questions, and you will know where you belong."_

"It's all so terribly funny." Hiccup grumbled bitterly. "I've always dreamed of traveling the world, but now that I have every reason to do it, I'm terrified of what I'll find."

Skullcrusher chuckled heartily at that. _"What you find may surprise you, youngling. But remember that your past does not define your future, and your present can change into something better."_

"So if I don't like what fate has planned, I can change it? My friend Merida did that once. I got turned into a bear, but I guess everything worked out in the end." Hiccup smiled, remembering his third year of school fondly.

 _"That which defines you, and your Fate, are two very different things."_ Skullcrusher informed him. _"But both can be altered."_

"So I guess I have to leave then?" Hiccup asked, wondering what exactly he should be doing.

 _"Only if you wish to, and this nest on this island will always welcome you as one of our own."_ Skullcrusher promised, gently pressing his nose against Hiccup's forehead. Hiccup returned the pressure and then pulled back.

"Thank you, Skullcrusher." Hiccup bowed his head low, respectfully.

Hiccup returned to the open space by the cliff-face once he finished speaking with Skullcrusher, but he drifted away from the other dragons. He walked towards the other side of the clearing where open grass met the treeline and an overhang of earth reached out over the ocean. The sun was low, the sea stained a crimson red, and the sky darkening with maroons and dark, dark blue.

Hiccup sighed, his thoughts clouded and jumbled. He had so often dreamed of a place where a great, warm welcome would always be waiting for him. He'd come so close to it when he was young, and then at Hogwarts with his friends, and then when his village thought he was one of them. He'd gotten just a taste of it with his friends caring for him, with his village cheering for him, and with Toothless because a small voice inside him kept saying 'this is where you're meant to be'.

He looked up as the last of the sun's rays disappeared behind the horizon and stars began to appear across the night sky. The light was dimmed, but the Music stayed the same. It still Called to him, and he needed to know why. He could do it, he would find his way and travel off into the distance wherever the Music Called him. It was just like Skullcrusher said, if he stayed strong, someday he'd know the answers to all of his questions and he wouldn't have to wonder anymore. Every mile would be worth it.

He'd go most anywhere to feel like he belonged.

A twig snapped somewhere behind him, and Hiccup turned to find Toothless. The Night Fury trotted forward, as calm and steady as always, and he gently nuzzled his cheek against Hiccup's.

 _"You're upset."_ Toothless said, sitting and wrapping his tail around Hiccup's feet comfortingly.

"Skullcrusher says I can't find the answers to my questions here. He says I have to go find them for myself." Hiccup confided, turning and flopping down onto the grass with a huff. Toothless snickered and laid down with him, Hiccup leaning back into his side.

 _"Skullcrusher told me this would happen."_ Toothless admitted with a shrug. _"But you already know that I will follow you wherever you go."_

"So that's it? We're just going to go without a second thought?" Hiccup asked, locking gazes with the Night Fury. Toothless nodded.

 _"Not tonight."_ He added a moment later, nudging Hiccup to standing. _"I wanna sleep. We'll go in the morning."_

Hiccup laughed at that. "Tomorrow, then." He agreed, and then hugged Toothless's neck tightly. "Thanks, bud."

Toothless purred lightly and then nudged Hiccup towards the saddle. Within a minute, they took to the air, gliding across the starlit night with ease. Toothless angled towards their cave on the hillside, but Hiccup looked out at the horizon, silhouetted in the moonlight, and smiled.

He was on his way to something great, and he knew he could do it because Toothless would be beside him. Together they'd stay strong, no matter how far they had to go. All of their trials and tribulations, past and future, would be worth it once they found where they belonged.


	2. I'll Go

**Music:** "How Far I'll Go" (Reprise) by Auli'i Cravalho

 _NOTES:_ Some of your best memories will come from some of your most foolish decisions.

**Chapter 2: I'll Go**

The morning brought a clear sky with a shining sun and a wonderful breeze. A good day for flying. The hatchlings ran underfoot, getting into mischief and fun, while the older dragons kept themselves busy; fixing up the fraying edges of nests, hunting for food, clearing old and dead materials from caves.

Inside one particular cave, embedded into the hillside at the very edge of the cliff-face, Hiccup pulled on straps and buckled them down to secure Toothless's saddle and the small saddlebag they had. Toothless stood patiently, watching as Hiccup tucked all of his things into the pouch.

Hiccup's hands were quick, putting away the few possessions he still possessed. Ancient arrow from Merida, his wand, his small dagger, Emma's pocket watch, his charcoal pencil, and he reached for his journal, but a scrap of parchment slipped out from between the pages, falling to the sandy floor of the cave. Hiccup reached over and picked up the paper, carefully unfolding it. A picture of Jack, Merida, Rapunzel, and him stared back at him. It was from first year. The end of year feast when they'd jumped up onto the stairs of the dais, their arms thrown into the air. Confetti was frozen falling to the floor all around them, and they were all so happy...

Hiccup gently ran his left-hand fingers over the image, his heart clenching tightly in his chest, and then his eyes locked onto the bandages that covered his fingers. His hand tightened into a fist, still laying on the picture, and he squeezed his eyes shut.

Toothless crooned quietly, and Hiccup opened his eyes, forcing a weak smile. Hiccup sucked in a deep breath and folded the picture twice before tucking it back between the front cover and first page of his journal. He carefully slipped the notebook into the saddlebag, and closed the top flap, tying it closed with a tight knot.

"Let's go." Hiccup said, nodding to Toothless with a determined half-smile. Toothless's ears perked up, and he smiled, crouching down to let Hiccup onto his back.

With one last glance around the small and empty cave, Hiccup and Toothless left through the curtain of ferns, stepping out into the light and gliding down towards the field where Skullcrusher stood waiting for them. Hiccup slid out of the saddle even before Toothless came to a complete stop, and the two faced Skullcrusher side by side, giving respectful bows to the older dragon.

 _"Do you know where you will go?"_ Skullcrusher asked, not surprised but still curious.

"West." Hiccup replied after a moment of looking out at the horizon line in the distance. He looked back at Skullcrusher with a newly felt certainty. "We'll go West."

 _"We wish you both luck and safety on your journey."_ Skullcrusher told them, the other dragons of the nest gathering around to see them off.

"Thank you, all of you." Hiccup smiled at the crowd of dragons. "You've all been very kind to me." His gaze drifted to the Berk dragons, gathered off to the side of the rest of the herd. "I'm going to miss all of you." Hiccup told them, stepping forward to scratch Stormfly's chin as she warbled appreciatively.

 _"You're not getting rid of us that easily, Hatchling."_ The brilliant red Monstrous Nightmare stalked forward, letting the tip of his tail flick Hiccup's nose as he passed. He stopped beside Toothless.

 _"Hookfang's right! We're coming with you!"_ The chubby, excited Gronkle waggled as she nudged Hiccup's side.

"But it will dangerous!" Hiccup protested, looking at each of them. They didn't seem very concerned.

 _"That's the point."_ Stormfly told him, rolling her shoulders and stretching out her wings a bit. _"It will be fun."_

 _"Yep! Things will get boring around here once you leave! If we stick with you, something exciting is bound to happen! Right, Meatlug?"_ Sharpshot chirped, scurrying up onto the Gronkle's head who nodded in agreement.

 _"You go,"_ One head of the Zippleback said. _"We go."_ The other continued. _"We a flock."_ They finished in unison.

 _"You guys said it, Barf-Belch!"_ Sharpshot pipped as the five dragons moved off to the edge of the cliff, stretching their wings and waiting to head off into the great beyond. Hiccup stared after them, watching them go for a moment, and then locked gazes with Toothless. He looked fairly amused by the whole thing, and shrugged indifferently.

Skullcrusher chuckled. _"Like you, they are young. Still fresh from their mothers' nests. After so much excitement in the old lands, it does not surprise me that they seek more adventure with you two."_

Toothless nudged Hiccup's side, and he chuckled, climbing into the saddle. "I guess the extra company will be nice."

 _"Maybe we can use Sharpshot as bait for one of those giant fish. What do humans call it? Tuna? I've always wanted to try one of those."_ Toothless said as Skullcrusher lumbered up next to them.

"Toothless!" Hiccup scolded, but couldn't suppress the grin that spread across his face, and Skullcrusher outright laughed.

 _"Hunting plans aside; I'm sure you remember the pirates banked on the Western side of the island. You will have to pass them to get out to sea."_ Skullcrusher cautioned, and Hiccup nodded.

"I know. Their Captain is weird. I think he stays here cause he's curious about me and Toothless. I hope if he see's us leaving, he'll give up and leave the island." Hiccup explained.

 _"Very well. A safe journey to you all, then!"_ Skullcrusher addressed them all, and the Berk dragons gave various sounds of respectful acknowledgement.

With one last bow to Skullcrusher, Toothless and Hiccup shared a glance, crouched low to the ground, and then jumped into the air, shooting upward. Several roars and squawks followed them as the other dragons took off, right behind them. Hiccup looked back at the island that had been home to him over the Summer and smiled fondly before turning back to the horizon line with an excited determination.

The trees, fields, rivers, and stones of the island passed as they flew overhead, and within a few minutes they reached the shore where they had last seen Captain Eret and his crew. Looking this way and that, Hiccup peered at the beach below, but he couldn't find the familiar ship with blue sails. The beach was empty. Hiccup and Toothless exchanged a wary look before shrugging and continued out to sea with the rest of their flock, keeping an eye out for the pirate ship.

It wasn't unlike the pirates to push off and sail around the sea stacks farther out before returning to the shore. They also went fishing at least once a week. It wasn't as if they stayed in one place, waiting for Hiccup and the dragons to show up every day.

Still, even as they flew out over the open waters, there was no sign of them. Hiccup shrugged it off, and they set off Westward. A smaller, stone island that acted as a halfway point in the Fire Worm dragons migration trail lay a few miles off the coast. On a clear, sunny day like this one, it was visible from the island.

They reached the smaller island rather quickly and passed over it. When they completely passed it, revealing it's other side, a ship became visible, hidden from all other sides by the island. Hiccup didn't recognize it.

Before any of them could react, an arrow whizzed passed Toothless's shoulders, making him lurch back. More arrows were launched, the all too recognizable thrums of bow strings snapping filling the air.

"Move!" Hiccup shouted, and they scattered out of formation, diving between sea stacks and swooping out of the way of arrows. The men manning the ship below shouted at each other as wave after wave of arrows was sent up at them. Hiccup could see several men readying a catapult of some kind. "Toothless, look out!"

A net launched straight at them, and Toothless flipped out of the way, but the net continued on and tangled itself on Hookfang's wings. Hookfang roared angrily as his wings flopped awkwardly for a beat, and then he was plummeting towards the ocean.

"After him, bud! I can still cut the ropes!" Hiccup said as Toothless shot into a dive. Hiccup pulled his dagger from the saddlebag, and released his foot from the pedal controlling Toothless's tail-fin. He crouched in the saddle, and once they were close enough, he lunged forward. His legs pressed together and his arms held tightly at his sides, he flew through the air, gaining on Hookfang as they all steadily approached the water.

As soon as he was within reach, Hiccup grabbed hold of the ropes and started yanking his knife through them, tearing them apart as fast as he could. Hookfang pulled at the ropes as best her could, and somehow they tore through the net just enough to allow Hookfang's wings to move again. Hookfang beat his wings, frantically righting himself so he could pull up, and Hiccup pushed off his side, out into open air.

As Hookfang snapped open his wings, coasting upwards and then whirling away towards the cover of the sea stacks, Hiccup continued falling towards the water with Toothless close behind. Hiccup looked up, locked gazes with Toothless, and then he hit the water.

It was icy cold, and it took Hiccup a moment to orient himself. Toothless dove in just a few seconds after him, and the Night Fury snatched the scruff of his shirt in his teeth, dragging Hiccup towards the surface. Hiccup gasped for breath when his burst through the surface into the air, and Toothless released his shirt as he wrapped his arms around his dragon's neck.

A net fell over them from behind, and Hiccup gasped as he realized there were two ships waiting in ambush, only one of them had stayed hidden among the sea stacks. Now both ships moved in, pulling ropes and lifting Hiccup and Toothless out of the water by the net, suspending them in the air between the two ships.

Toothless growled and roared angrily, cursing at the strange humans with symbols and tribal marks that Hiccup didn't recognize. Toothless maneuvered himself, attempting to block Hiccup from sight, and he pressed closer to the dragon, hoping to calm him at least a little in the midst of all the chaos.

"Okay," Hiccup muttered, his eyes darting around, searching for a possible escape route. "Admittedly, not the best way to start off a journey."

The ropes were pulled tighter and tighter, drawing them closer to the main ship that had first attacked them until they were dropped onto the deck of the ship, still helplessly trapped in the endless swaths of netting. Toothless immediately crouched over him, shielding him from every possible threat and blocking him from view of the men who captured them. Hiccup could hear footsteps and voices as the men approached, and Toothless's deep growl turned to a vicious snarl when one got too close for comfort.

"You see that? That's a Night Fury! Imagine how happy the boss will be when we bring this in!" One of the men's muffled voices reached Hiccup's ears.

"Oi! It looks like it's got something there!" Another called out, and Hiccup silently rolled onto his hands and knees underneath Toothless's chest, his dagger poised. He hissed at the men staring at them, and the strangers jumped back, gasping and murmuring in shock.

"What is that?!" One of them demanded.

"Is it a demon?" Another wanted to know.

"It's a boy, you idiots!" A third called out from across the crowd.

"A boy, indeed!" All the men surrounding them fell silent as the largest of them all, the commander probably, stepped forward. "A Dragon Boy."

More murmuring lit up among the crowd, and the first man who'd spoken stepped up beside his commander. "What should we do with him, sir?"

"We'll bring him with the Night Fury." The commander said, smiling in a way that made Hiccup's insides twist unpleasantly. "I'll bet he's the only one of his kind! Just like the Night Fury. Probably washed up on one of these islands as a baby or something. My guess is he can't even speak! How much money do you think people are willing to spend on something so rare?"

Greedy mutterings of agreement met this statement, and Hiccup's skin crawled as he felt all of the men's eyes shift towards him, probably wondering what he was worth. Hiccup and Toothless pressed themselves closer together as the crowd moved in all around them, reaching out towards them. Hiccup raised his dagger, and Toothless's mouth glowed with his blue fire as the familiar warning shriek split through the air.

"I don't mean to interrupt, but do you really think that's a good idea?"

Everyone froze and snapped their attention towards the back of the ship where the wheel was. Captain Eret stood with one leg on a crate, leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knee. He was smirking widely, two of his men flanking his sides, and his ship had somehow sneaked up behind them all while Hiccup and Toothless had been facing off with the strange men.

"Blasted pirate! What do you think you're doing here?!" The commander demanded as all attention was removed from Hiccup and Toothless.

Hiccup looked at the men and then at Eret. The Captain spared a quick glance in his direction, and then settled his focus on the crew of the ship he was currently invading. Hiccup caught on immediately and started working at the ropes with his dagger while the Captain was distracting them.

"Well, you see, normally I don't bother with other peoples affairs, but I couldn't help noticing your sticky little situation." Eret began, causing gruff, confused noises and looks among the crowd. "You see, right now you're safe because you're holding the Night Fury and Dragon Boy, and your secondary ship is holding off the rest of their herd." Eret gestured up to Hookfang and the others who were circling over head and perching on sea stacks to glare down at the human ships. "But what will you do when it's time to leave? It takes at least half a crew to sail a ship, especially through rough seas, like between those sea stacks, so there goes half your man power. Do you really think you can take four, large, pissed off dragons with only half your men? Not to mention that little Terrible Terror that's always around this lot. It has a habit of going for the nose, you know."

"What are you proposing, pirate?" The commander spat, glaring at Eret who pushed off the crate, opening his arms wide in a friendly gesture.

"I simply wanted to offer my services to you fine gentlemen, for a price, of course." Eret stalled, meeting Hiccup's eyes again for a split second as Hiccup hurried through the second to last rope.

"What price?" The commander growled, his grip on his sword tightening. Hiccup cut through the final rope with a quiet snap, and he gave a small nod to Eret who grinned widely.

"You give us the boy and his dragon, and we let you leave here alive." Eret told them, drawing his sword from it's sheath on his lower back.

"What -?!" The outraged cry was interrupted by Toothless's plasma blast striking the deck of the ship right at the commander's feet, blasting a hole through the boards straight to the hull of the ship.

Eret and his to men lunged forward, taking advantage of the shocked crew, Hiccup swung his leg out to trip a man so a fell forward into the hole, and Toothless batted away another two with his tail. Hiccup swung up into his saddle, and Eret and his men retreated to their ship just as it was pulling away from the two enemy ships.

Toothless jumped into the air, and together they shot up into the sky, rejoining the others among the tops of the sea stacks. They circled around, regrouping, and then they swooped low over the water, heading straight towards the two dangerous ships. All six of the dragons shot a blast of fire at one of the two ships, sending the sails up in flames and causing men to throw themselves overboard. Hiccup and the dragons laid cover fire as Eret's ship raced through the sea stacks to open water. Once the pirates were free of the deadly circle, Hiccup and Toothless lead the rest of their flock away from the battle, following after Eret and his crew.

It was sunset by the time they'd made it to the next set of sea stacks and deemed themselves far enough away from the strange ships to be safe. Eret's crew cast their anchor, and after locking eyes for a moment, Toothless swooped down and landed on the deck of the ship.

The other dragons were a bit more wary, landing instead on the lower ledges of the sea stacks, and the men on the ship moved slowly and carefully, not wanting to spook the dragons they eyed somewhat suspiciously. Hiccup slid out of the saddle, and Eret stepped forward.

"Thanks for the help." Hiccup said carefully, watching Eret steadily.

"No thanks needed, I know you probably could've gotten out of that yourself, considering the past few months. If those were normal men, I would've stayed out of it just to see how you'd get yourself out of there. As it is," Eret shrugged. "I don't like the idea of a little kid like you being carted off to some dragon prison."

"Little kid?" Hiccup wrinkled his nose indignantly. "I'll be fifteen this February!" Eret's eyes widened a bit at that, and then he tilted his head back in a full on laugh. Several of his men joined him, and even Toothless snickered a little bit, earning a pouty glare from Hiccup.

"I never would've guessed! You don't look older than twelve!" One of the men, a good foot shorter than Eret, said in a slow drawl.

"Gee, thanks." Hiccup grumbled dryly, and then he looked up at Eret. "And what do you mean 'normal men'? Who were those guys?"

"Those were Hunters." Eret told him. "Dragon Hunters. They've all sorts of dirty tricks and secrets they use to take down dragons. I wasn't sure you'd be ready for them. Guess I was right." He said, his mouth a grim line.

"Dragon Hunters?" Hiccup murmured, sharing another look with Toothless. "What do they do with the dragons the catch?"

"Depends. Some are killed, some are kept alive. Dragons are valuable either way. They also have many uses." Eret explained vaguely. "I know those Hunters work for a man who is extremely dangerous, and he supplies dragons to people who are even more dangerous than him."

"Well, that's comforting to know." Hiccup muttered, and Eret smirked.

"What about you, lad? Leaving the nest, are we?" The Captain raised an eyebrow, and Hiccup shrugged.

"I'm kind of looking for something, but I don't know where to go, or what to do to find it." Hiccup admitted partially. "All I know is that I won't find it back on the island."

Eret seemed to think on this for a moment, glancing around at his men, and then he folded his hands in front of him. "You're quick on your feet, and in your head. With the right training, you'd make a fine pirate."

"Well, considering I've been able to outsmart you for the past two months..." Hiccup trailed off with a smug smile as a gave a palms-up gesture. The men around him chuckled.

"Yes, very funny." Eret shook his head, but he was grinning. "How would you like to join my crew?" He offered, and Hiccup perked up in surprise.

Hiccup looked at Toothless, locking gazes with him, but he also glanced up at the other dragons. They all seemed rather relaxed among the pirates, and Hiccup couldn't sense anything bad about them. Hiccup raised his eyebrows together in a silent question to Toothless who wrapped his tail around Hiccup's feet comfortingly.

 _"I don't believe these humans are dangerous."_ Toothless said, looking thoughtful. _"If they are willing, you'll have human and dragon companionship, and I think that is important for you."_

Hiccup thought about this a moment, and then looked over at Eret who was still waiting for a response. "Toothless and the others can come too, right?"

"They may have to hide in the hull of the ship at times, we wouldn't want to draw unnecessary attention to ourselves, but they're welcome to come along." Eret agreed easily, and a few of his men smiled kindly.

Hiccup didn't really know how to explain it, but he knew these men were good people.

"I'm sure we can work something out, Captain." Hiccup said, straightening up with a smirk and holding out his right hand.

"Welcome aboard the BlueBlazer, Cat." Eret grinned, gripping forearms with Hiccup. "Men! Raise the anchor! Drop the main sail! We set sail immediately!"

"Where to, sir?" One of the men, a taller one this time, asked.

"Gabylonia. The ship is still in need of repairs." Eret said, giving the dragons above a pointed look. They snickered and cackled, dropping even lower to get closer to their new found allies. "We'll keep along the coast. There's been a shift in power once again, and they'll have messes too big to spend time worrying about every ship coming to port in the outskirts of the realm. We'll slip in right under their noses!"

This was meant with several chuckles, noises of agreement, and cheers. Hiccup had to admit that it was quite the plan. A shift in government would leave the Capital weak, so they'd pull all of their forces back to the main cities, leaving the villages and smaller ports vulnerable. A crew of pirates would easily be able to blend in with the rest of the crowds and go entirely unnoticed.

As the men jumped to their work, pulling ropes and working the sails, Eret threw an arm over Hiccup's shoulders, directing him to the upper deck of the ship. Toothless followed close on their heels, and soon the three were safely out of the way of the bustling men.

"Stick close, lad, and I'll teach you what you need to know to survive the seas." Eret promised him, and Hiccup looked up at the pirate curiously.

"If you don't mind my asking, why are you so nice to me? We've hardly met, and most people would run screaming from Toothless and the other dragons." Hiccup wondered, scratching behind Toothless's ear.

"For one thing; I like your style. You've got spunk, kid." Eret smirked, ruffling Hiccup's hair. "And as for the dragons?... Should I be afraid of you?" Eret raised an eyebrow, and Hiccup couldn't really read the expression in his eyes.

"...I don't want people to be afraid." Hiccup replied quietly, and Eret's smile softened, seemingly satisfied with this answer.

"You see? I don't need to be afraid. You're a good kid. A strange one. But a good one." Eret said, turning the wheel to navigate the ship away from the sea stacks.

Hiccup thought about Eret's logic for a moment, wondering if it actually made any sense at all, but he ended up distracted by the scene before him. The men had settled into a steady rhythm, moving about each other with ease and practiced skill. Hiccup looked out over the ship's deck in fascination until Toothless gave him a nudge, and Eret chuckled.

"You can go take a look around, if you're curious." He told him, not taking his hands off the wheel.

Hiccup took the opportunity, and jumped up onto the railing of the stairs that lead up to the upper deck. He slid down the banister and jumped off, landing on his feet. Toothless watched him carefully from the top of the stairs, Hookfang, Stormfly, and the others flew in a loose V formation just above them.

Hiccup looked out, between the men working on the deck and the sails and the posts. He managed to catch glimpses of that line where the sky met the sea, and it called to him. Hiccup jumped up onto the side railing of the boat, holding onto a loose rope as he leaned out to the side of the ship, looking out at the endless sea before him. No one knew how far it went.

He breathed in a deep breath of fresh, salty air, feeling completely free. He'd spent so much time wondering where he needed to be, when he was on Berk, at Hogwarts, on the island, but now that was all behind him. He wasn't worried about that anymore. Now he was on his own, to worlds unknown.

Hiccup jumped down from the railing and weaved through the men on the deck, moving closer and closer to the front point of the ship. Every turn he took, every trail he tracked, was a choice he'd make, and now he couldn't turn back from the great unknown. Where he was going alone.

He climbed up onto the bow of the ship, carefully tiptoeing as he walked out to the very tip, using another rope to counter balance as he leaned forward, out towards the sea.

Where he longed to be.

He closed his eyes, feeling the wind in his hair and the salty spray on his face. This was freedom, and he was ready to face whatever was waiting for him out there in the world. A coo caught his attention, though, and he opened his eyes just as a tiny, red Night Fury hovered in front of his face. It zipped over his shoulder, and Hiccup whirled to see where it went, finding a blue and a yellow Night Fury following the red one as they flew around the main mast of the ship, flying towards the top.

They glowed in the evening light, sparkling off the sea. They called to him, and he knew that he could go and follow them for once in his life. So he did. Hiccup chased after them, climbing the mast as easily as the trees back on the island. He reached the top within moments, and with his feet and one hand braced on the mast, he looked out over the sea, his lights floating around him.

The evening sky was so clear that half the moon was visible through the blue, and the wind was behind him, fluffing his hair against the back of his ears.

And soon he'd finally know how far he'd go.

* * *

The man panted as he raced through the tent flap into the dimly lit space. He clutched a piece of parchment in his hand, and he was sweating from nervousness. His boss was not going to be pleased with the news he had.

"What is it?" The large, bald man growled, intimidating in every way possible.

"Sir, we've just received word from the East." The man panted, trying not to show his fear. "Two of our ships have been destroyed."

"What?" The bald man snapped, whirling around to look at him. "What do you mean they've been destroyed? How?"

"T-the message isn't clear, sir!" The man yelped, holding out the paper for the larger man and nearly jumping out of his skin when his boss snatched it up. "They said something about a -a Dragon Boy..."

The larger man glared at the paper for a very long time, staying completely silent. When he finally spoke, it made the messenger jump again.

"Send a new fleet to our Eastern route, and question the survivors! I don't want trouble over some rumor!" The bald man ordered. "And send out a scouter ship to track down a pirate ship with blue sails. If this is real, Viggo needs to hear about it as soon as possible."

"Sir! Yes, sir! Right away, sir!" The messenger sputtered before turning on his heel and hurrying out of the tent.

The bald man went back to the map spread out on the table before him, but now his eyes drifted towards the Eastern corner. There was no possible way that this was anything more than a baseless rumor. There was no such thing as a Dragon Boy. But one could never be too careful.

After all, something destroyed those ships.


	3. Things Change

_NOTES:_ People Change, Promises are Broken...

**Chapter 3: Things Change**

_They were laughing, and it was so bright, so warm. Their castle stood in the distance, the water glittered, and their hearts were so hopeful, so fearless._

_His smile was full and bright on his face, his form was silhouetted in the sparkling gold light that reflected off the lake, his eyes were the brightest green she'd ever seen. They weren't human, but they were kind and innocent._

_A flicker, and suddenly he was facing her. The golden images of the lake were gone, replaced by inky blackness. His skin was gray, like death. Bruises and cuts littered every inch of him. The darkness clawed at his sides, his arms, his legs. His eyes, his inhuman eyes, were wide, terrified._

_Suddenly, two hands reached out of the darkness and curled around his upper arms. Yellow eyes flashed above wickedly gleaming white teeth that grinned out at her. Taunting. Triumphant..._

Merida jerked awake noiselessly, too exhausted to make a commotion. She pushed herself up from the armrest and into a sitting position, looking out the small window of the cabin. Outside, rain poured down in torrents, soaking everything even remotely possible. It was cold, too, but Merida didn't really mind all that much. The weather seemed to fit her current mood.

Regardless of both nature and her feelings, the train trekked on towards her Fifth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

"Are you alright?" Merida looked across the small space to find Justin, one of her year-mates, looking at her worriedly. "You look a little startled."

"I'm fine." Merida replied quietly, her tongue feeling swollen and her throat dry.

Justin didn't look very convinced, but dropped the subject after a look from Eep, who sat next to Merida. Camicazi, who sat in the opposite corner, kept her head down, arms crossed over her chest, and probably lost in her own thoughts. It didn't surprise Merida, everyone was a little bit off, dealing with the news in their own way. Some weren't affected by it at all, and went about their days just as they always had, but many were struggling to accept their new reality.

A lot had changed since last year.

"Has the Trolley come by yet?" Merida asked, feeling the need to move and get out of the small space. It was too cramped. Too quiet.

"She just passed by. I'm sure she's still at the back of the car if you want something." Eep smiled gently, probably just happy to hear that her mind was on sweets and not on... other things.

"I won't be long." Merida muttered, grabbing her belt pouch where she kept her money and quickly exiting the cabin. She took a deep breath, her eyes closing for a moment, and then she started off down the small corridor, towards the Trolley woman who had stopped for a couple of other students.

It wasn't that she disliked sharing a cabin with her housemates, it was just that she missed the way things used to be. Everyone looked at her with some kind of pity nowadays and she wasn't sure how she felt about it.

Merida stopped beside the Trolley as the woman was serving the two other students and quietly looked over the assorted packages and colorful wrappings. She absolutely _was not_ trying to avoid looking at the Cauldron Cakes displayed towards the front of the Trolley. She was distracted from her browsing when a figure stopped in front of the Trolley, and she looked up to find Jack looking down at the offending creme-filled cakes.

Their eyes met, and something inside her flinched. Jack's hair was a little longer, reaching down the back of his neck. Shaggy. The string that was beaded and knotted with feathers and small stones still hung behind his left ear, just brushing the top of his shoulder now that his hair had grown longer. He was already dressed in his green, silver, and black school robes, and he carried his staff with him as always. Barely noticeable circles looped under his eyes, and the normally bright, blue irises had dimmed slightly with a deep-rooted sadness.

He tried to smile at her, but the corners of his mouth trembled with the effort. Merida offered a weak smile in return and nodded in understanding.

"It's been a while." She forced out with a breath, not sure of what else to say. Jack nodded in agreement.

"I'm sorry I haven't sent any letters." Jack apologized softly, his eyes glancing down at the Cauldron Cakes again. Merida shifted a little, waving him off.

"Oh, don't worry about it! I haven't done a very good job of writing to you, either!" She said, trying to shrug it off humorously, but the tension in the air choked any laughter within a hundred feet. The other students who'd been at the Trolley had hurried back into their cabin when Jack showed up, and Merida could see Flynn Rider watching them from down the corridor. "...How have you been, Jack?" Merida whispered as they stepped away from the Trolley so other students could get their treats.

Jack looked at her with an expression of uncertainty and sadness that she thought would never look right on his face, but in this situation it did. It made sense, and that was probably what hurt the most. She knew that the events of last year were weighing down on him, heavier than on anyone else. He looked lost and heartbroken. Only one half of a whole.

"It doesn't feel right, Mer." Jack said, seemingly unable to find the words to explain what he felt. "If he was really... It would just feel different. Something isn't adding up."

"You think there's something missing from the investigation?" Merida wanted to know.

"I think there's a lot missing, but I don't have any proof." Jack admitted miserably, and Merida watched him for a moment, biting her lip, unsure of what to say.

About a month after their final exams, The Daily Prophet had a field day with the release of Mr. Arrow's final report. The final report of the investigation that took place at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

By tragic accident, Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third, son of Stoick the Vast and Heir to the throne of Berk, was killed by a dragon that had somehow gotten into the school. The report says that the dragon was in the bathroom with Mr. Haddock and Tadashi Hamada, and after the dragon attacked Mr. Hamada, Mr. Haddock must have chased after it. Tracks and other evidence was found leading into the forest all the way to the cliff-face.

The newspaper articles caused an uproar among parents and families, making them wonder if Hogwarts was safe for their children. Merida had already heard several people mention that they'd just barely managed to convince their parents to let them return to school this year, but even returning to school for a new year felt so wrong. Everything felt wrong. They all knew why, too, but no one said it out loud.

It was because Hiccup wasn't there.

"You don't think Rapunzel's parents kept her from coming back this year, do you?" Merida suddenly remembered, speaking the thought as soon as it entered her mind. "I know they can be pretty overprotective and all, but..."

Jack shook his head. "I saw her get on the train. She saw me, but I was on the other side of the platform and everyone was rushing to board the train, so we didn't get to talk. I don't know where she went after that."

"That's good." Merida sighed quietly in relief. She'd never admit it out loud, but she wouldn't be able to handle losing both Hiccup and Rapunzel in one go. "So, what should we do now?" She looked back at Jack, not sure of where to go from here.

"I don't know," Jack admitted with a helpless shrug. "But we've still got the three of us... Right?"

"Couldn't get rid of me if you tried." Merida told him with a small, but real, smile. Jack's mouth twitched towards a smirk, and he nodded.

"Good. Because I want to know what we're missing." Jack told her before stepping closer and lowering his voice. "I know he's not dead. He can't be."

"I'm not sure if we'll be able to find anything, Jack, but if you ever need help in your search, you know I'll watch your back." Merida promised.

"Thank you. I knew you and Rapunzel would stick by me." Jack said, looking relieved. "I want to keep this quiet. Everyone else will think I'm crazy, or in denial."

"Hey, I think you're crazy, too. I just know you're not stupid. If you say something's wrong, then I believe you." Merida snorted. "And you're not the only one who smells something fishy. That dragon didn't just walk right into the school, someone would have seen it. So how did it get in? If I were you, I'd start there."

"Great minds think alike, but first I need to get a copy of the original case file." Jack frowned at this, which was understandable. The original case file would be tucked away somewhere in the Auror branch of the Ministry of Magic. Not exactly easy to access.

"Jack, that's impossible, how do you even plan on trying to get it?" Merida asked.

"I'm gonna send a letter to Mr. Arrow. My dad wrote in his journal that they worked as partners a couple times before, and he's friends with most of the teachers. I'm hoping he'll be willing to share the file with me. I know it's a long shot, but it's the only idea I've got." Jack explained, his jaw set with determination.

"Alright, just be careful." Merida told him, punching his shoulder lightly.

"You too." Jack replied seriously. "I've got a bad feeling about this year. Things are changing, and I don't think they're for the better."

Merida nodded grimly in agreement as the crowd of students around the Trolley disappeared. With corridor clear again, Merida started back towards her cabin as Jack stopped to buy a box of Bertie Botts and a Cauldron Cake.

When they finally reached Hogwarts it was still raining. Professor Crood waited underneath the roof of the train station for the first years, calling out to them as he handed out umbrellas to each of them. Upper class-men simply ran towards the carriages, trying to stay as dry as possible. As always the second years were pushed into carriages first by the Prefects and Head Boys and Girls, but then it went faster by a first-come, first-served basis. When Merida finally climbed into a carriage and flopped down into a seat, her curls were weighed down and dripping, but her clothes weren't too bad, only a little wet on the shoulders.

"Merida!" Merida looked up, hearing her name, and found Rapunzel climbing into the carriage. Rapunzel had grown at least another inch, but her eyes were dimmed and the corners of her mouth drooped. Rapunzel had never been good at hiding her emotions, but Merida didn't think that was a bad thing. Especially now.

"Rapunzel!" Merida said as the Hufflepuff sat down right across from her. The two girls hugged tightly after taking their seats. The carriage started to move, and when they pulled back Rapunzel looked down at her hands in her lap guiltily.

"I'm so sorry I didn't write to you or Jack over the Summer, I just..." Rapunzel trailed off, her eyes filling with tears that she quickly tried to blink away. Merida placed a hand on the other girl's shoulder.

"You don't have to apologize for anything, Punzie. We all needed some time." Merida assured her sadly, and then she noticed the extra patch on Rapunzel's shoulder and smirked. "So, that's why we couldn't find you on the train. Riding in the front car with all the Prefects now?"

Rapunzel blushed, but nodded. "I got an extra paper with my letter this year. I thought maybe I could do something more this way."

"I think it's great, Punzie. You'll make a great Prefect." Merida encouraged her, giving her shoulder squeeze before letting her hand drop back to her side. "I ran into Jack on the train, by the way."

"Is he alright?" Rapunzel asked tentatively.

"I'm not really sure, Punzie. He's hurting, I know that, but we all are." Merida told her, and Rapunzel nodded in understanding. "He says something doesn't feel right about the investigation. He says he doesn't think Hiccup is dead."

Rapunzel looked up and smiled a small, sad smile. "I knew he wouldn't give up. Everyone's wondering how dragon managed to get in the school."

"That's what I said. He's going to try and get the original case file from Mr. Arrow, and then we'll work on figuring out what actually happened." Merida explained. "I've got to be honest, though, when I didn't see you I thought your parents didn't let you come back to school this year."

"They almost didn't. My dad was so terrified, he almost locked me in a tower. My mom listened to me, though, and she helped me convince my dad." Rapunzel sighed, looking tired.

"Well, you know, with your hair, I bet you could just climb out the window and slide all the way to the ground like you would with a rope!" Merida pointed, and Rapunzel chuckled a quiet, little sound.

The fell into silence for a few minutes, each of them lost in their own thoughts. It wasn't uncomfortable, exactly, but they both knew what the other was thinking about, and it wasn't really something they wanted to be thinking about.

"Do you really think there's a chance he's alive?" Rapunzel whispered, looking up at Merida. Her eyes were rimmed with unshed tears, and Merida could only look back at her with uncertainty.

"I do." Merida said after a long moment of silence. "And right now we're the only ones looking for the truth."

The rest of the ride to castle was silent, both of them wondering if they should even dare to hope that Hiccup was alive, and, if so, what had become of their friend?

Inside, the Great Hall was as loud as ever, and Merida easily found a spot at the Gryffindor table, closer to the dais. Penny was already in the seat beside her, and Astrid was across the table with the twins next to her. All three seemed strangely subdued, and Penny quietly asked how she was feeling after she'd gotten settled. Merida told Penny she was well enough and the two had a short, but pleasant conversation as they waited for the Sorting to begin.

When North came forward to start the Sorting ceremony, Merida didn't pay much attention. Her eyes drifted over to Rapunzel who sat nervously at the end of her table, ready to welcome all of the new Hufflepuffs, and then her eyes moved on to Jack who didn't seem to be paying attention to the Sorting either, too lost in his own thoughts.

After the Sorting, North stepped behind the podium on the dais and opened his arms to all of them.

"Welcome all of you, to another year at Hogwarts!" He said. "Now, there are a few changes this year that I would like to take the time to inform you of. This year I will be taking a leave of absence from my role as the Charms instructor here at the school." There was a muttering through the crowd, and a few 'aww's. "Yes, yes, I know, but in my absence, Professor Bunnymund shall be taking the role of Charms master."

More muttering went through the sea of students, this time more excited. Professor Bunnymund was probably the funnest teacher in the classroom, and everyone loved taking Defense Against the Dark Arts because of it. Now they'd get to see it in Charms class, too! Merida, however, noticed that Bunnymund didn't look very happy about the news. In fact, he looked rather _unhappy_. Angry, even.

"And I would also like to introduce Lady Tremaine who will be substituting for Professor Bunnymund while he is instructing Charms class." North continued, sweeping his arm to the side to direct everyone's attention to the woman sitting at the end of the teacher's table.

Everyone went silent as they observed the woman. Her reddish-gold hair was pinned and sprayed until it stayed in a pristine up-do. Her eyebrows were perfectly plucked, her eyes were half-lidded and accusing. Her face was long, her chin pointed, and her lips were painted dark red. Her long-sleeved dress was purple-maroon.

"I'm sure you will join me in wishing the Professor, good luck." North said, and then continued on. "Now, as usual, our Ground's Keeper, Mr. Crood, has asked me to remind you that the Forbidden Forest is -"

Someone cleared their throat, and everyone looked towards the source as Professor North paused in his speech. Lady Tremaine set her napkin down beside her plate delicately and rose from her seat. Silently, she stepped around the table and walked out towards the center of the dais, her high-heeled boots clicking with each step she took.

"Thank you, Professor, for those kind words of welcome." She smiled sickeningly, and Merida swallowed, remembering what Jack had said earlier about a bad feeling. "And how lovely to see all of you," Lady Tremaine said, turning to the students, her eyes scanning over them. "I'm sure we're all going to be very good friends."

"Not likely." Tuffnut muttered to his sister, and Ruffnut snickered.

"The Ministry of Magic has always considered the education of young witches and wizards to be of vital importance. Which is why Prime Minister Claude Frollo himself has asked me to come here and assist Hogwarts in educating all of you children properly." Lady Tremaine paused for a moment to nod at Professor North who nodded in return, but both gestures seemed empty. "And although each teacher has brought something new to this historical school, progress for the sake of progress must be discouraged. Let us preserve, what must be preserved. Perfect, what can be perfected. And prune practices that ought to be prohibited."

Lady Tremaine's speech was followed by silence, and Merida found herself clenching her teeth. With another sickening smile, Lady Tremaine turned and walked back to her seat. North regrouped himself quickly, and began applauding, prompting everyone else to follow. Merida didn't join in on the uncertain applauding, instead, she locked gazes with Rapunzel, and then with Jack. Like her, neither of them were clapping. North thanked Lady Tremaine for her words, and then continued on with his speech without skipping a beat.

"Wow, what a downer." Tuffnut said, obviously not thrilled by Lady Tremaine's speech.

"Who put yak dung in her honey?" Ruffnut wanted to know.

"More importantly," Astrid cut them off, her tone flat and serious. "What does it mean?"

"It means the Ministry is interfering at Hogwarts." Merida answered, locking gazes with the Viking girl. Both of their mouths drawn into grim lines.

Things were definitely changing and it wasn't for the better.


	4. Pirating

_NOTES:_ The whole world is not Black and White, there's actually a whole lot of Grey...

**Chapter 4: Pirating**

Gabylonia was a large Kingdom on the Western outskirts of the Peaceable Northern Kingdoms, below the Archipelago. Passing through the all-too-familiar territory of the Archipelago left Hiccup nervous and jumpy, constantly scanning the horizon in lookout for any ships they might cross. The other dragons kept close to the ship, and eventually agreed to tuck themselves below deck, out of sight and out of risk of danger, but Toothless insisted on staying on deck beside Hiccup unless hiding was absolutely necessary.

Hiccup was sure the crew had noticed the anxious behavior, but no one said anything, and he guessed that they assumed their nervousness came entirely from the animosity between Vikings and Dragons. And it was true! It just wasn't the full truth...

Besides that, the journey was uneventful. The wind had stayed with them for most of it, and they made good time. They arrived after only a week of sailing, during which Eret and the crew had started to show Hiccup how to tie knots, work the sails, swab the deck, wash dishes, cook meals, clean laundry, and much more. He picked up the skills fairly quickly, and he found himself enjoying the ship and the open sea.

When they finally reached port, Toothless finally consented to going down into the ship with the other dragons, though he did grumble and warn Hiccup to be careful. Hiccup told him everything would be fine, and then went about helping the crew to dock the ship. After they were secured at the dock, Eret ordered the men to clean the ship and resupply their stores, and then he dropped a cloak on top of Hiccup's head. Hiccup looked out from under it, and then put it on probably after Eret's prompt. The cloak was plain, hanging down to the back of his knees, but the hood covered his hair and shadowed his face. It made him less recognizable, which was a very good thing. Even with his left hand tightly wrapped and covered with his old bandages, he still didn't feel very comfortable around other people. Eret seemed to share his thoughts as he wore a similar cloak. Without a word, he placed a hand on Hiccup's shoulder and steered him towards the side of the ship.

Eret lead the way off of the ship and down the plank to the dock, Hiccup trotting along beside him to keep up with his long, crisp strides. Hiccup couldn't really explain why he trusted Eret and his crew so much, but he did. He just had a feeling that he could.

"If you're going to be a part of my crew, you're going to need to know how to haggle and trade. You'll need to know how to hustle, sail, and fight." Eret told Hiccup as he moved with ease through the crowds on the dock.

Eret stopped for a moment to sign in his ship with the Dock Manager, and discreetly slipping the other man a gold coin in the process. The Dock Manager gave a quick glance around, tucked the coin into his vest, and then waved the bulky security guards on to the next ship, skipping the BlueBlazer.

"I'm going to teach you everything you need to know about being a Pirate." Eret lowered his voice when he turned to Hiccup again, placing a hand on the boy's shoulder and bending slightly so they were at eye level.

"Where do we start?" Hiccup wanted to know, raising an eyebrow at the older man. Eret smirked and ruffled his hair before straightening up and pointed further down the dock towards the merchant stands and stalls and huts.

"There. Your first lesson will be in Haggling and Trading." Eret informed him, starting off again towards the market. Hiccup followed after him, curious as ever.

The next four hours saw them moving from one stall to the next, talking with tradesmen and haggling over prices and trade equations. Hiccup watched silently, carefully taking in all that he could; the general worth of certain goods, the inspection techniques Eret would use and occasionally take a moment to explain to him, and even the language of trade, which he had a very vague knowledge of from his limited time on the ports of Berk.

Eventually they stepped away from yet another stall, and Hiccup started towards the next, but Eret grabbed the scruff of his cloak and pulled him back. Hiccup looked up at Eret, confused, and saw him smirking over at another group of men. They were dressed in finer clothes than the rest of the village, they had swords at their hips, and they had fat purses on their belts. They were conversing loudly, playing some sort of gambling game with dice, and they'd taken no notice of Hiccup and Eret.

"Those are patrol men. They don't have the training to be Guards, let alone Knights, and their jobs are to patrol the lesser towns and villages. What they'll really do is spend the day gambling and then go get drunk at the nearest pub without ever actually doing anything, and then those stuffy noblemen wonder how rotten pirates like me get passed their borders." Eret grinned, wrapping an arm around Hiccup's shoulder and leaning close so they could conspire. "What do you say we teach them a thing or two about staying on their guard?"

"What did you have in mind?" Hiccup asked, feeling a very familiar sense of mischief warming his chest and sending excited energy shooting up and down his spine.

"I think it's about time I gave you your first lesson in pick-pocketing." Eret winked, and straightened up. "Watch closely," He said, and then he walked off towards the group of patrol men.

Eret ambled over to the men, his shoulders hunched slightly, head down. He bumped into one of the men on the outer circle, and Hiccup barely caught the swift hand that snatched the purse and then tucked itself back into the folds of the cloak. The man shouted some exclamation of annoyance, and Eret immediately backed off, his lips moving in some sort of muttered apology.

Hiccup watched in amusement as the patrol man went back to the gambling, completely unaware, while Eret walked away. He locked eyes with Eret just before the older man turned around the corner of a building, and the message in his face was clear:

Your turn.

Hiccup straightened up slightly, ready for the challenge, and then he looked at the group of men, considering his options. They were all way bigger than him, so Eret's tactic wouldn't work as well. Someone would notice the raised angle of his thieving arm. He'd have to try something a little different.

Hiccup looked around, and then hurried over to the same group of men. He peeked in the small openings of the circle between the men, and then he found a gap big enough for him to squeeze through. He got to the center of the circle and fixed his gaze on the game, every bit the excited village boy.

It didn't take two minutes before one of the men snatched him by the back of his cloak and dragged him out of the circle. Hiccup pushed against the man with his right hand, pretending to attempt at getting away, and at the same time snatched the pouch dangling from the man's belt with his left. Hiccup tucked the purse away, and barely a second later the tossed him out towards the village houses. Hiccup stumbled on his feet, but stayed upright.

"Get out of here! Scrawny little brat!" The man shouted, and watched as Hiccup scurried off with his head down before turning and going back to the rest of the group.

Hiccup made it all the way to the building where he saw Eret disappear around the corner, and then a shout came from the group of men followed by outraged yelling and a lot of shuffling. Hiccup broke into a sprint, rounding the corner of the building and taking off.

He could hear the patrol men getting closer, and he knew he needed to think of something fast, but before he could someone grabbed the back of his cloak and yanked him back. With a yelp, Hiccup was pulled into a dark alley. For a moment he was confused, then fear shot through him like ice, and then he caught a fairly new, fairly familiar scent.

Eret pulled him back until they were both pressed flat against the wall in the darkest corner of the alley. A few heartbeats later, the patrol men run passed the alley, shouting and cursing.

"Where'd he go?!" One wanted to know.

"He couldn't have gotten far!" Another said, their voices fading as they ran into the village, searching for a little village boy.

"Not bad, kid! You're a natural!" Eret grinned widely when the threat had passed, stepping away from the wall and glancing down at Hiccup. "With a little practice, you could steal the spots off a dog!"

"I'm not sure about that. I'm not even sure I'm okay with stealing at all." Hiccup replied, looking down at the purse in his hand. He supposed in some situations stealing might be... reasonable, maybe even necessary, but he wasn't sure if that actually made it okay.

Eret seemed to notice his internal struggle because he ruffled the younger boy's hair, smiling. "There ain't no rest for the wicked, Cat. We're a crooked lot, and our morals are a bit more grey than most folks, but that doesn't make us entirely bad. Every pirate has his, or her, own reasons for where they're at and what they're doing, and if there's one thing I've learned in all my years, it's that a Pirate can also be a Good Man."

Hiccup didn't know what to think about that, so he didn't say anything, and Eret didn't continue. The Captain took a look around at the entrance of the alley then he lead the way out into the crowds of people, and Hiccup followed along, one step behind. They were walking back toward the trading stalls and stands, but the hairs on the back of Hiccup's neck prickled anxiously.

Confused, Hiccup searched his surroundings; bustling crowds, constant chattering and muttering, the occasional animal, tradesmen calling out and waving people towards their stalls, sailors loading and unloading their wares from ships on the docks. It was the regular chaos of a port village, but something was off. Hiccup could feel it.

Then he spotted him. A familiar figure with a large mustache, matching beard, and a red-earthen tunic. A thick belt was wrapped around the man's waist with a dagger and a large purse, a hat sat on top of his head. The multiple layers of clothing were designed for warmth, but they obviously came from a multitude of different lands and regions.

It was Trader Johann. He was the main supplier of foreign goods on Berk. Everyone knew him, and everyone loved him. Trader Johann had often spoke of his fondness of Berk as well, and would prove it from time to time by bringing valuable information to Stoick and his generals.

Hiccup stood frozen to the spot in panic. Trader Johann would recognize him for sure if he got too close. Even from across the stalls Hiccup wasn't sure if his cloak was enough of a disguise to protect him. Besides the cloak he only had his green shirt, his darker green pants, and the bandages on his left hand. He had no shoes and had taken to wandering barefoot, and he didn't feel like a needed anything else.

Trader Johann looked up from the carpets he was inspecting, and their eyes locked. Hiccup felt his breath catch, and Johann squinted, as if not quite sure he was seeing correctly.

The eye contact was broken when a cart being pulled by a bull passed between them, and Hiccup's instincts jumped into action. Using the cover created by the cart, he dove into the nearest alley, running all the way to the back and turning the corner. There was a pig pen behind one of the buildings, and Hiccup pressed himself against the wall just beside it, despite the powerful stench burning his nose.

Eret followed after him not a second later, and took the hint to lay low, so he leaned back against the fence of the pig pen, arms crossed. His expression was guarded, showing only slight confusion and questioning, which Hiccup thought was fair, but didn't take the time to explain in that moment. Leaning out, Hiccup peered around the corner and saw Trader Johann standing where he'd been not three minutes before. The tradesman looked up and down the pathway, even peered into the alley for a moment, but soon gave up his search with a shrug, and turned to go back to the stalls across the way.

"Trader Johann. Decent sailor, takes his route in the Archipelago mostly. You know him?" Eret asked, raising a suspicious eyebrow.

"You could say that..." Hiccup replied, scratching the back of his head and avoiding eye contact. "I just don't think it'd be in anyone's best interests if he happened to notice me..."

Eret was silent for a long moment before he chuckled quietly and then smiled down at him. "I normally don't care about anyone's past, but you're a strange one, Cat. I guess I can see a friend of Vikings not being the best of friends with a Dragon Boy, though, hm?"

"Most people, in general, aren't." Hiccup pointed out, looking up to meet Eret's gaze.

Before either of them could make any further comments, the ground started shaking with the sound of a thunderous BOOM! The villagers started screaming and running in all directions as fire a large plume of smoke burst out above the rooftops of the village. A roar split the air, and Hiccup and Eret looked at each other with wide eyes.

"Is that a...?" Eret trailed off in question.

"Monstrous Nightmare." Hiccup said grimly, finishing his sentence for him. "Come on!" Hiccup shouted, running down the alley and into the open, Eret right on his heels.

They looked up and found the smoke billowing up into the sky from somewhere in the center of the village. Hiccup took off towards the fire, and Eret called out after him, but he didn't stop to listen. Hiccup ran against the steady flow of people racing away from whatever destruction was taking place. He finally broke free of the stream and ran into the place of origin of all the chaos; the town square.

The village Inn and Pub was up in flames, a purple Monstrous Nightmare roared towards the sky on it's roof, and Hiccup sucked in a breath as a sharp pain went through his head. This dragon was _Scared_ and _Lost_ and something else that Hiccup couldn't recognize. Obviously something had happened to confuse the poor dragon, but that didn't answer how he got there in the first place. Dragons never came this far North.

The front door of the Inn burst open and two little kids ran out, coughing, with a girl about Hiccup's age right behind them. She wore a simple barmaid's dress and soot was smeared across her right cheek. For some reason, Hiccup couldn't shake the feeling the he knew her from somewhere.

The sudden movement caught the purple Nightmare's attention, and it scurried down the building, chasing after the two kids and the girl. The Nightmare was flamed up and angry, and the two kids screamed as the raced away. The girl whirled around, raising a short sword, and faced the Nightmare as the two kids ran passed Hiccup and off towards the docks. The Nightmare roared and reared at the girl, and she took a swipe at it's nose. That only made the Nightmare more angry, and it shrieked as it slapped the girl aside with it's tail. The girl dropped her sword as she hit the ground hard and then rolled a couple of times. The Monstrous Nightmare slowly stalked after her, stepping on her short sword and bending it beyond repair. The girl sat up and looked at the dragon with wide-eyed terror, shuffling back as best she could as the Nightmare continued to advance.

Hiccup lunged forward, rolling to land between the two, facing the Monstrous Nightmare. He slid to a stop in the dirt, raising a small cloud of dust, and the dragon fixed it's glare on him. Hiccup slowly raised to his feet, still keeping low to the ground, and held out his hands in a calming gesture. The flames faded from the Monstrous Nightmare's skin, but something was wrong. This dragon wasn't normal.

The dragon kept moving forward, slowly, and Hiccup eased backwards, still keeping his arms out. As the flames died off completely, Hiccup locked eyes with the dragon and his stomach dropped to his feet. The Monstrous Nightmare's eyes were wide and wild, a sickly yellow the likes of which Hiccup had never seen. Small clumps of foam were collecting at the corners of the dragon's mouth, and it's teeth were cracked, black-spotted yellow tusks in it's mouth. The dragon's breath was rancid, choking, and Hiccup was starting to understand what that 'something else' was.

"Easy..." Hiccup murmured, hoping to reach out to the creature anyways. Maybe he could help him.

The girl had gotten to her feet behind him, and he reached out to the dragon with one hand while motioning the girl to stay behind him with the other. The dragon pulled back slightly and opened it's jaw in an all-too-familiar motion that made Hiccup's heart jump into over time.

"Look out!" He shouted, whirling around and leaping at the girl, tackling her to the ground as fire started to gather in the dragon's mouth. Just as the two hit the ground, Hiccup heard his dragon's shriek and a flash of blue light flooded the air.

The Monstrous Nightmare pulled back, spooked by the plasma blast, and Toothless ran to stand between them and the other dragon with a roar of protectiveness. Toothless growled, his eyes narrowed and focused on the Monstrous Nightmare that was stumbling back and forth across the square from him.

"What's wrong with him?" Hiccup asked, the sense of Toothless's presence helping to calm him some.

 _"He's Bloodthirsty. Driven mad by fear and anger. There isn't anything we can do to help him while he's like this, he's too dangerous."_ Toothless replied, glowering at the other dragon.

"What caused him to be like this?" Hiccup asked again, entirely confused by the Monstrous Nightmare's situation.

 _"I don't know."_ Toothless admitted, just as confused.

Hiccup looked over at the purple dragon, foam and drool dribbled from the dragon's jaw as it snarled and gnashed it's teeth. It tried to move closer to them again, and Toothless warned it off with a snarl and a snap of his powerful jaws. Hiccup scrambled over to Toothless, climbing up into the saddle and clicking the prosthetic into place. Frustrated, the Nightmare pulled his head back again, and Toothless whirled around, grabbing hold of the girl's arm with his giant paw and shooting up into the air.

The girl screamed as they flew up into the sky just as the Nightmare shot another blast of fire, missing them and igniting another building. Shouting told them that the patrol men had finally gathered their forces and were moving in on the Monstrous Nightmare. Hiccup angled the prosthetic, and they dove towards the ocean, noticing the BlueBlazer was already out to sea and the man in the crow's nest was waving to them to get their attention.

Toothless swooped over the deck of the ship, dropping the girl first, and then curling forward to land with a little hop. Hiccup jumped out of the saddle, and Eret was immediately beside him.

"Are you mad?!" Eret demanded, looking at Hiccup as if he'd grown a second head. "What were you thinking?! Someone could have seen you! Someone could've killed you! You'd think for a kid as smart as you, I'd never have to worry about you doing something this stupid, and yet here we are!"

"Nice to know you care so much." Hiccup smirked, highly amused, but Eret was turning as purple as the Monstrous Nightmare, so he decided to be a little serious. "I had to do something. I thought I could help, and I kinda did. And, anyways, the only person who saw me is right here, so..."

Everyone turned to look at the girl. She had long brown hair and amber eyes that were looking from Hiccup, to Toothless, to Eret, and back again. She looked like she was trying to figure something out.

"What is she doing here?!" Eret interrogated, and Hiccup thought about it for a moment, sharing a look with Toothless.

"Well, looking back, I guess we technically kidnapped her by accident." Hiccup explained, not really sure of how else to put it. Eret looked completely baffled.

"How do you Accidentally Kidnap someone!?" He shouted, throwing his arms in the air as Hiccup chuckled just a bit nervously.

"It's easier than you'd think, actually." He said, and Eret's nostrils started to flare. The rest of the crew seemed pretty amused, Toothless looked indifferent, and the girl still had that look like she was thinking about something...

"So, what should we do with her, Captain?" No-Name, Eret's first-mate, asked uncertainly. Everyone looked at Eret, and then everyone looked at the girl. She looked around a moment, and then lifted her chin proudly.

"Don't even think about trying anything with me, you filthy, crab-brained, pig-slop eating thugs!" She snapped, her eyes lit with a determination that Hiccup thought was actually quite impressive. Eret just threw his arms up in defeat.

"We don't have time for this!" He said, looking back at No-Name he continued. "We can't stay in Gabylonia any longer. Tie her to the mast, and we'll set her loose at the next trading outpost with enough coin to get her home."

The men accepted this easily, and No-Name awkwardly started shifting closer to the girl so he could do as he was ordered, but the girl yanked herself away from him.

"Don't even try! I'll skin you with your own sword before I let you tie me up!" She growled, and No-Name pulled back a bit, slightly frightened.

"We aren't going to hurt you." Hiccup promised weakly, knowing already that she probably wouldn't listen. The girl rounded on him and they locked eyes. For a moment that same look of trying to figure something out returned to her face... And then it clicked.

"Hiccup?" She breathed in utter disbelief, staring wide-eyed at Hiccup who froze on the spot. The men muttered among themselves, having missed what she said and wondering what was happening, but Eret's eyes were fixed on both of them. Hiccup looked at the girl, though, and for a moment he honestly didn't know who she was despite knowing that he should, and then a faint memory of a red and gold striped tie flashed in his mind.

"Uh, oh." Hiccup murmured.

Before anyone could move or say anything, Teeny, who was actually very large despite his name, walked up behind the girl, and clonked her on the back of the head just right so it wouldn't hurt, but she still dropped to the deck like a sack of potatoes. They were all silent for a moment, staring at the girl's unconscious form, and then most of the crew shrugged and went back to work. No-Name and Teeny very carefully picked her up and started tying her to the mast as gently as possible.

"You know her." Eret said it as more of a statement then a question, but Hiccup found himself nodding anyways.

"Her name's Talia Eagle." Hiccup told him just as some shouts came from the distance, and they turned to see the purple Nightmare flying away from the burning village, off into the sunset.


	5. Maybe This Time

**Music:** "Maybe This Time" from _Cabaret_ (Andrea McArdle version)

 _NOTES:_ And if I asked you to name all the things you love, how long would it take for you to name yourself?

**Chapter 5: Maybe This Time**

The day was hot, and the ocean stretched out as far as the eye could see, even for Hiccup and the dragons. Hiccup was panting hard, sweat trickling down his face as he tried to catch his breath. He weakly held a sword in his right hand, the tip of the weapon resting on the wooden deck of the ship, and a small part of him wondered how he always managed to get himself into these kinds of situations.

It had been roughly twenty-four hours since they left that small port-village in Gabylonia, and they hadn't stopped to rest even once. The crew took shifts through the night to make sure they were as far from Gabylonia as possible the following day.

Despite the rough conditions of the previous night, Eret still expected all of the men to practice their fighting techniques on a regular basis. Somehow the light dueling and training that happened during breakfast had lead to the discovery that Hiccup didn't actually know how to fight. He relied entirely on quick-thinking and his skills with Toothless and the other dragons. Eret didn't like this at all and insisted Hiccup at least learn some swordsmanship.

"Every pirate worth their salt is familiar with the Grimbeard's Grapple." Eret lectured with a flick of his sword, looking cool as the ocean breeze even after two hours of practicing the one, stupid move. "Grimbeard the Ghastly is the most famous Captain to ever live, and his signature move has become a tradition of sorts."

"Wasn't Grimbeard the Ghastly insane?" Hiccup huffed, still unable to motivate himself enough to pick up the sword properly. His arms hung limply by his sides, and his knees were angled slightly inward.

"Technically, he was a Seer, but his mental stability was questionable." Eret shrugged, and then raised his sword. "Give it another try."

Hiccup sighed and two-handed the sword so he could lift it off the deck. The Grimbeard Grapple was a complicated sequence of movements, but apparently was taught to even the most beginner of swordsmen. When done properly, the swordsman would swish his sword to one side to knock the opponent's sword away, then swish back the other way to slash across the opponent's chest while he defenses were still open, and then to finish the swordsman would leap forward with his sword tip piercing the opponent's heart.

For Hiccup, the reality was much less glamorous. He barely managed to heft the sword up in his hands, and then he tried to knock Eret's sword away, but he couldn't get enough momentum to push against Eret's bigger and stronger arm. Hiccup ended up stumbling forward as Eret pivoted out of the way. Hiccup nearly dropped his sword, and ended up turning and falling on his back in his attempts to catch it. As Hiccup sat up, his arms wrapped around the too-big sword, Toothless winced and warbled worriedly, Eret sighed and shook his head.

Talia, who was still tied to the mast of the ship, snorted and laughed. Hiccup, Toothless, and Eret looked at her in surprise because Talia had refused to speak since she woke up tied to the mast, and she'd refused any food they offered. She'd tried to escape several times, and had ruined more than a few good ropes much to Eret's annoyance, but she never managed to get off the ship. Not that she'd have anywhere to go if she did. The ocean stretched for miles in every direction.

"Wow, I don't know what's worse; his attempt at the Grimbeard's Grapple, or your attempt at teaching it." Talia smirked up at Eret, and Toothless gave a throaty dragon-laugh.

"Great, now I've got two smartasses to deal with." Eret grumbled, glaring at Talia before turning to look down at Hiccup. "If you want to survive all of the dangers out there, you're going to have to learn how to fight."

"Well, you know, I'm not really the big, bulky, athletic type. I'm more of the make things up as I go and hope for the best type." Hiccup informed him with pursed lips and a tilt of his head. Talia snickered again, and Eret growled quietly and rubbed his temples in slow circles, probably getting the beginnings of a headache.

It was at that moment that Toothless decided to lumber over from where he'd been laying in the sun. He nuzzled his head against Hiccup's, radiating _Amusement_ and _Fondness_. Hiccup shifted the sword over to one side and returned the nuzzle as Toothless laid down, wrapping his front paws loosely around Hiccup.

 _"As much as I enjoy watching the pirate's eye twitch, I do have to agree with him. I don't know what was wrong with the Monstrous Nightmare at the village, and we're bound to find more trouble eventually. I've taught you some about fighting like a dragon. I think it's time you learned to fight like a human."_ Toothless suggested, nudging Hiccup's cheek with his nose and then sniffing the sword's handle at Hiccup's shoulder.

 _"But I'm hopeless at fighting. I can't lift a hammer, I can't swing an axe, and I'm not coordinated enough to use a sword, apparently."_ Hiccup pouted back silently.

 _"Eret has been a decent teacher in the ways of piracy, but perhaps you need a proper swordsmaster to help you."_ Toothless remarked, his gaze sliding over to Eret who had turned fully to face Talia, on account of, they'd started arguing soon after Toothless wandered over.

"That's it!" Hiccup murmured, excitement lifting the weight from his shoulders. Toothless gave him a questioning look, but Hiccup was too focused on his new idea to fill him in. Hiccup scrambled towards Eret and Talia, catching up in the middle of their conversation.

"For someone who's getting a free ride to the next trading outpost, you sure do like to run your mouth!" Eret was saying when Hiccup scampered up next to him, Toothless following behind a little more slowly.

"And for someone who spends most of his time around swords, you really have no idea how to teach fencing." Talia retaliated, and Eret's shoulders drooped as his brow fell down into a furrowed state.

"Why don't you teach me, then?" Hiccup jumped in, seeing his chance to spark his idea.

"What?!" Talia and Eret demanded at the same time, their gazes snapping to look at him.

"You're the Granddaughter of the famous Trainer of Heroes, Philoctetes. He was the greatest swordsmaster who ever lived, and he trained some of the greatest Knights in history! The man was a legend! And I'm sure it runs in the family." Hiccup continued, hoping to convince her. If anyone could teach him how to sword-fight, it would be Talia Eagle.

She stared at him for a moment, and then lifted her chin indignantly. "Let's say, for just a second, that my Grandpa passed on his teaching methods to me. Why on earth would I share that knowledge with you? You kidnapped me!" She exclaimed, lifting her arms as far as she could and looking down at the ropes to emphasize her point. "And, besides, I don't train pirates. I train Heroes. Like Grandpa." She gave a curt nod and looked away, signaling the end of the conversation.

Hiccup and Eret looked at each other. They both shrugged and decided to call it a day for training.

* * *

By lunch time the next day, Talia had used her rediscovered voice to convince them that she wasn't stupid enough to try and escape while they were in the middle of the ocean with nowhere for her to go, and that she wasn't going to eat unless she could do it with her own two hands, so there was a unanimous agreement to untie her. Talia gained privilege to walk around freely, and none of them had to fight over who was stuck trying to feed her. Talia just seemed happy to be able to move around while the crew just seemed happy that they no longer had to worry about losing fingers come meal time.

They were due to reach the outpost the next morning, and everyone was prepping for another day of trading. The dragons were a little restless, having to stay cooped up in the belly of the ship for nearly a week now, and Hiccup was glad that his flock would get the chance to stretch their wings soon. When they were passed the outpost and well on their way North, towards the Archipelago, they'd have a day or two for flying before they had to hide away again.

Evening came fairly quickly, and without incident. A stew was served out in various cups and bowls from the ship's storage, and when the sun had finally sunk below the horizon, the dragons were able to go for a night flight and catch their dinner for themselves. Hiccup and Toothless joined them briefly, catching up enough fish for Toothless, and then they returned to the ship so Hiccup could have some of the stew.

Hiccup sat near the lantern light, eating in a large circle with the crew as they laughed loudly at crude jokes. Halfway through his meal, Hiccup noticed Talia sitting far off to the side, her back to them as she looked out over the ocean, her feet dangling over the edge where the ship's railing created an opening for a plank-bridge.

He felt something heavy weighing down in his chest, and Toothless crooned softly at him in curiosity. Hiccup didn't respond, but he stood up, setting his bowl down where he'd been sitting, and walked over to where Talia was seated all by herself.

"Mind if we join you?" Hiccup smiled gently as Talia's head snapped around to look up at him and Toothless. She hesitated, but nodded, and Hiccup settled down beside her. Toothless laid down on Hiccup's other side and rested his head in his boy's lap. "I'm sorry for kidnapping you," Hiccup said, figuring it was as good a conversation starter as anything else. "It really was an accident."

"Ah, don't worry about it." Talia shrugged it off with a quiet chuckle, and then looked at Hiccup. "Better kidnapped by weirdly friendly pirates than roasted by a dragon, right?"

Toothless snorted, and Hiccup scratched behind his ear-flap to pacify him.

"I just can't figure you out, though." Talia told him, her brow furrowing suspiciously as she looked him and Toothless over.

"What do you mean?" Hiccup wanted to know. Surely she must have heard what happened, right?

"You know exactly what I mean." Talia said sharply, but then she saw his confused expression and the certainty on her face lessened. Giving a quick glance around to make sure no one was listening in and keeping her voice as low as she could, Talia continued. "Hiccup, everyone thinks you're dead."

"What?" Hiccup's breath hitched in his and whooshed out of him all at the same time.

"They say a dragon broke into the school somehow." She whispered. "It attacked Tadashi in the boy's bathroom, and then you chased it into the forest. They say your tracks lead to the cliff over the ocean, and that the dragon must have carried you off." Her eyes glanced down to Toothless again.

"That's not what happened!" Hiccup told her.

She snorted. "Obviously."

"What about Tadashi?... Is he okay?" Hiccup couldn't breath. He felt so tense and so terrified, but he had to know.

"Tadashi had four gashes on his chest that looked like dragon-claw marks. He lost a lot of blood, and from what I heard it was touch and go for a while, but he woke up and was able to confirm that something not human was in the bathroom that night." Talia answered slowly, noting Hiccup's strange reaction to the mention of the older Ravenclaw. "So, what really happened that night?"

"Well, I..." Hiccup hesitated, and then sighed, opting for at least a partial truth. "I was hiding Toothless in the Forbidden Forest through most of last year." Hiccup confided to her, nodding to his Night Fury, and Talia's eyes widened. "The night Tadashi followed me into the bathroom, I decided I couldn't keep hiding Toothless, but I'd already tried setting him free and it didn't work for either of us." Toothless agreed to this by nuzzling the side of his face against Hiccup's stomach. "I was getting ready to leave, and then Tadashi followed me, and... It was an accident..."

"So it was him, then?" Talia asked, glancing down at Toothless and then back up at Hiccup.

"No!" Hiccup yelped hurriedly. "No, Toothless was in the Forbidden Forest on the opposite side of the lake."

"Then what attacked Tadashi?" Talia questioned.

"I..." Hiccup bit his lip, clenching his left hand tightly with his right. He didn't know what to say, how to explain... "I don't know what it was." He whispered honestly.

"But there was something else in the bathroom with you?" Talia pressed, obviously wanting more answers that Hiccup didn't know how to give.

"I guess that's possible... I don't know how to explain what happened. I'm just happy to hear that Tadashi's okay." Hiccup murmured, his fingernails starting to scratch at his left hand through the wrappings.

"...I'm sorry." Talia said after a long paused, placing a hand on his shoulder, and Hiccup looked at her in confusion. "It's really none of my business. I wasn't even there, and I can't even begin to imagine what happened to push you into making certain decisions..." She trailed off, still looking warily at Toothless.

"They're not what you think they are." Hiccup told her, petting the top of Toothless's head. "I know your Grandpa trained Knights, and Knights were known for slaying dragons, but they're not evil. Everything we've been told about them is wrong." He turned to Talia and held out his hand. "Let me show you."

"Uh..." Talia hesitated again, glancing back and forth between Hiccup and Toothless.

"Trust me." Hiccup said, looking at her with bright green eyes. Talia was frozen for a moment, and then she slowly gave her hand. Hiccup took it and slowly, gently raised it so it was offered, palm-open, to the Night Fury.

Toothless picked his head up slightly, looking at the hand for a moment, and then locking eyes with Talia. After a long, tense silence, Toothless stretched forward and pressed his nose to Talia's hand. Talia released a huge breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. Hiccup's hand was on top of hers, and suddenly the stars shined a little brighter, the night air was a little fresher.

After a moment that felt like a lifetime, Toothless pulled away and rested his head back in Hiccup's lap, and Hiccup released Talia's hand. Talia tucked her hand in lap awkwardly, confused and amazed all at once.

"Well, I..." She cleared her throat. "I guess we both have some daddy issues, then."

"Daddy issues?" Hiccup choked, completely floored by her response.

"Well, yeah!" She retorted. "You're out here, Alive and riding around on the backs of dragons and learning to be a pirate! Meanwhile, your dad's off being Head Chief of the Archipelago!"

"Ssh! Keep your voice down!" Hiccup hissed, glancing around to make sure they hadn't caught anyone's attention. Lucky him, the crew was either wandering off to their beds or tipping back to rum.

"They don't know?" Talia raised an eyebrow.

"Of course they don't. I'm Cat out here. No one's called me Hiccup since before I left Hogwarts." Hiccup told her. They fell into silence after that, until Hiccup thought of something to say. "...What about you? No one was ever sure why you didn't come back to school."

Talia sighed heavily. "It's a long story."

"...I've got time." Hiccup said, and Talia smirked.

"Alright, I guess it's only fair since I know what really happened to you." She agreed, settling back on her hands as she looked up at the stars. "Last year, toward the end of the summer, my Grandfather passed away. I was left with the house, and enough money to maintain it for about a year, but not enough to go back to school. I ended up giving the house to our caretakers, a young couple who were just starting their family. I told them they could have the house for free if they let me stay in the spare room. They're very kind people, and insisted I stay in the house anyways, so it worked out. I still didn't have enough money to return to school full time, so I didn't. I stayed home and went to work at the local Inn."

"Did you go to the Guardians? I'm sure they would've helped you financially, if they knew you needed it. And what about Justin? I thought you guys were close?" Hiccup questioned.

"Justin." Talia sneered, rolling her eyes. She pushed herself up and stood, stepping to the side slightly so she could rest her forearms on top of the railing. She took a deep breath to steady herself. Hiccup stood with her, but didn't move closer, figuring it best to give her some space to breathe.

"What happened?" He asked quietly.

"You aren't the only one to guess that my Grandpa taught me a thing or two about training Heroes." Talia smiled without humor. "Justin Yearn, the perfect Gryffindor and clueless daddy's boy, also guessed it. He found me during third year, and I should've known not to trust it. He asked me to train him. Asked me to teach him how to use a sword. He wanted to be a Knight just like as Grandfather, who my Grandfather trained. Justin's dad was the top Lawyer in Gabylonia, but Justin didn't care. I guess that's what made me think he might actually be the one." Talia bit her lip, mentally kicking herself over and over.

"I always wanted to be a Trainer of Heroes, just like Grandpa. To make it big, though, you need to train someone worthwhile. Someone who people will love and cheer for. Problem is, Knights were outlawed until last summer, and big, strong men don't want a slim, little girl teaching them how to be a Hero. I'd been waiting and waiting for my chance, and a few came along, but none of them were Hero material. When Justin came to me, I got so hopeful. I thought, 'this is it, it's really happening'." Talia took a deep breath. "I agreed to train him, and, long-story-short, last summer he decided to go on a quest to find his Grandfather's sword, met the Knights at the Tower of Wisdom, got told he wasn't good enough to be Knight, came back to me for sympathy, we fought a Knight-gone-Rogue and his army, and then Justin was Knighted by the Queen for his bravery. He accepted the Sir Blucher as his Swordsmaster, meaning everything I taught him was credited to that filthy, scum-sucking old man. And to add insult to injury, after everything we'd been through, after everything I thought we had, he chose Lady Lara Money-Bags. His Princess."

"I'm so sorry, Talia." Hiccup said, unsure of what to say to comfort her. She'd been completely betrayed by the one person she'd ever trained. "I can't imagine how much that must have hurt."

"Yeah, it hurt for a while, but after some time, I realized they were perfect for each other." Talia informed him. "The Traitor Friend and Duty-Before-Family Knight. Both of my biggest mistakes teaming up. It's almost too perfect." She chuckled bitterly.

"Sir Blucher was your..." Hiccup trailed off, not wanting to make the assumption out loud.

"Yeah. He's my father." Talia murmured almost silently. "I have five older brothers. The youngest is seven years older than me. I came late into the family, and I was definitely an "Oops Baby". My parents were too old to be having another kid, I don't think my dad was thrilled when he found out, and when I was born a girl, I was more of a burden than anything else. I was just something that needed to be taken care of and married off to a respectable young man so I wouldn't end up starving in a brothel. My mom had a hard time with the pregnancy, and she never got over it. She was constantly sick while I was growing up. When I was four, Knights were outlawed from the Kingdom, and instead of giving up his sword, my dad packed up and left. All I could remember was his back as he walked away from us. Mom and I ended up living with Grandpa, and then a year later Mom died from all the sickness. When I turned ten, and I got my Hogwarts letter, I was so excited. I was a witch. I could go to school and make something of myself. My dad could be proud of me, just like his sons. Looking back, I remember how Grandpa was hesitant and tried to convince me not to go, but I insisted on traveling to the Tower of Wisdom. He didn't stop me. I guess Grandpa just thought it was something I needed to learn for myself. I traveled across Gabylonia to find my dad, to show him that letter, and when I did... He walked away again. He didn't even look me in the eye. He just dropped the letter, and walked away..." Talia trailed off, her eyes becoming distant as she saw something that Hiccup couldn't see. After a moment she took a deep breath and blinked her damp eyes. "I'm not much, but I'm all I've got."

"I think you're worth a lot more than you think." Hiccup said honestly, and Toothless crooned gently beside him.

"It's not fair." Talia mumbled half-heartedly. "How did you trick me into telling you all that?" She chuckled weakly along with Hiccup.

"I've been called Dragon Boy for a while now, and Dragons are really easy to talk to." Hiccup suggested with a shrug, and Talia chuckled a little lighter this time. "...You know, you don't have to go back if you don't want to..."

_The sound of Hiccup's voice faded away as everything around her slowed to a stop, freezing for just a few seconds suspended by her thoughts. Talia slowly stepped back, away from Hiccup, as trumpets tuned in her ears._

_"Maybe this time, I'll be lucky. Maybe this time he'll stay..." Talia's voice drifted out of it's own accord, her thought-self feeling so stiff. She turned to the right in an almost complete circle to face the water, placing both hands on the ship's railings as she looked out at the horizon line. "Maybe this time, for the first time, love won't hurry away..." She slid her hands out along the railing in opposite directions before pulling them back towards her._

_"He will hold me fast..." She looked back at Hiccup, wondering if he really would stand by her in the end, not like Justin. "I'll be home at last..." She continued, remembering how happy she was when Grandpa was alive. When someone believed in her. Gave her a Home. "Not a loser, anymore, like the last time, and the time before."_

_Justin, and her father._

_"Everybody. Loves a Winner. So nobody loved me..." She swung her right arm down, letting momentum take it in an arch as she flipped so her back was to the water. "Lady Peaceful. Lady Happy. That's what I long to be..." Holding onto the railing with her left, she swung to face the water again, grabbing hold of one of the ropes with her right as her eyes went to the constellations._

_"All the odds are, in my favor." She turned and started backing away, looking at Hiccup and Toothless. "Something's bound to begin...!" She ran up the steps to the upper deck, still looking at the stars where she wondered if her Grandfather was looking down, watching her._

_"It's gonna happen! Happen sometime! Maybe this time I'll win...!" She used the net of ropes leading up to the top of the masts as a hand-hold so she could pull herself up onto the railing of the ship, reaching for the stars._

_"Everybody. Loves a Winner. So Nobody loved me...!" She swung her left arm out, hanging at a diagonal with her feet on the railing and her right hand keeping her steady with the ropes. "Lady Peaceful! Lady Happy! That's what I long to be...!" She lowered her feet to the ground and walked over to the top of the stares, looking out over the ship._

_"All the odds are, in my favor! Something's bound to begin...!" She walked down the steps, her chin held high, her chest open, and then she reached the lower deck and her eyes went to Hiccup and Toothless straight in front of her, across the length of the ship. "It's gonna happen." She whispered quietly, slowly starting to walk again, her arms hanging limply at her sides. "Happen sometime." Halfway there. "Maybe this time." She was just a few feet away, and her chest felt tight. "Maybe this time, I'll win..." She stepped back into place, next to Hiccup and Toothless, as the music slowly faded from her ears._

Talia stood in front of Hiccup as he looked up at her, waiting for her response. Having trouble finding the words, Talia turned to face the water with her forearms resting on the railing. She took a deep breath as Hiccup waited patiently.

"Grandpa always said, 'the best revenge is to improve yourself'... Maybe we can help each other do that." Talia said, finally looking over at Hiccup, who smiled back. Then Talia added, "But _only_ if you'll be my Champion when the time comes."

Hiccup paused at that, obviously hesitant. He looked out at the water, too, for a moment before responding. "I'm not a Hero, Talia. I never will be. I can't promise I'll be the Champion you need, but I'll try to be a good friend."

"I think you're worth a lot more than you think." Talia smirked, but straightened and held out her hand. "But a friend is just as good. You still owe me one, but it's a deal."

"It's a deal." Hiccup grinned, shaking her hand.


	6. One Last Hope

**Music:** "One Last Hope" from Hercules (1997)

 _NOTES:_ To be a True Hero, kid, is a Dying Art. Like painting a masterpiece, it's a work of Heart.

**Chapter 6: One Last Hope**

The day was bright and the ocean was blue. A tiny, scrawny, green-eyed kid stood a few feet in front of her with a small smile, his black as night dragon standing beside him with a similar expression of child-like excitement.

Talia wasn't really sure how she ended up in this situation. Then again, she assumed being accidentally kidnapped by a boy and his pet dragon wasn't really something that happened to normal people, so maybe this situation made a bit more sense than she was willing to admit. But, for the life of her, she couldn't understand why the universe had decided that she, of all people, deserved to have such a bizarre circumstance take place in her life. Hadn't she been through enough already? And Talia was convinced she must be going completely insane because last night she'd actually agreed to train Hiccup, or Cat, or whatever his name was!

Of course, that thought was quickly followed with the idea that this could be her last chance. He may be small and scrawny, but he was... Different. Which was more than she could say about half the people who claimed the title of Hero nowadays.

The truth was, she had no idea if the little pirate standing in front of her even had what it took to be a Hero. A True one, that is. All she knew was that after Justin's betrayal, she was out of luck. The Knights were being welcomed back into the Kingdom, and every eligible warrior would flock to them for training. If she wanted to follow in her Grandfather's footsteps and become a Trainer of Heroes, she couldn't be picky. This was her last shot, and something about the skinny boy gave her hope. Not much else, but, hope. That had to count for something... Right?

"So where do we start?" Cat asked eagerly, wriggling under her assessing gaze. Talia inhaled deeply, steeling her patience.

"We start there." She told him, pointing out over the water. A few yards away was the dock of the port city, which was originally going to be where the pirates dropped her, but now it was going to serve as their starting training grounds. "We both need to get properly outfitted before we can start training. You with a properly sized and weighted sword. Me with some sensible clothes. This stupid dress was my old work uniform, and I need something I can move in."

They started by finding Talia a shirt, vest, and trousers, all simple and plain, but functional, and then they returned to the ship, but kept docked as Talia laid out weapon after weapon for Cat to try out. Eventually they settled on a plain short-sword, contrasting the short-broadsword Eret carried and had allowed Cat to use during their bout two days earlier. Talia hoped once he'd built up some strength in his arms, Cat would be able to trade out for a common Arming sword, maybe an Estoc if he was still struggling with the weight.

Dusting off her own Arming felt good, though. After Justin, she'd given up hope that someone would come along. That fella who'd ring the bell for once, not the gong. That kind who'd win trophies, not settle for low fees as a simple guard. At least semi-pro fees as a roaming Knight. But no! She got the Green-Horn; the only pirate without a clue of how to fight!

So, she started him with cleaning. She shoved two buckets fulls of soapy water and rags into Cat's arms and sent him to work, swabbing the deck. The Terrible Terror dragon climbed around on his shoulders while he scrubbed the wooden deck, and Cat would smile at the small dragon whenever he paused to wipe the sweat from his brow. The Night Fury watched curiously from the side.

Meanwhile, Talia polished her own sword and made sure Cat's was in top condition, remembering when she'd gone back to work at the Broken Eagle Inn. She'd felt like a horse being let out to pasture, too worn down to do her proper job anymore, all of her ambition gone. She'd been content to spend lazy days on her Grandfather's property and let the animals out to graze the lawn.

But Cat needed an advisor. An Eret, but wiser, she'd thought with amusement, and when Cat had finished cleaning, she decided the best place to start would be with what he already knew. Talia asked him to show her what he'd picked up, and he proved himself fairly capable with a dagger, only needing a few adjustments to his stance and posture at times. Then he and Toothless showed her their flying maneuvers, and she had a near heart attack with her jaw dropping open when Hiccup jumped out of the saddle and flipped into a free fall. Eret stood beside her on the boat, smiling.

Later that day, she was able to fully admit that she was down to one last hope, and she was really hoping it was Cat. She started running him through drills, and his weaknesses weren't very surprising. His abnormally small size put him at an extreme disadvantage already, but he was probably the scrawniest kid she'd ever met. He could barely pick up a sword, and he struggled through all of the strength building exercises. Needless to say, he wasn't exactly a dream come true.

But he excelled with the obstacles she set up on the decks, and in balancing along railings and ropes. He was strong with speed, agility, and balance, which calmed her rising nerves a little bit. This kid was smart and quick, and she'd trained enough turkeys who'd never came through. He was her one last hope, so he'd have to do.

"Rule Number Four!" Talia lectured one day, backing away as Cat hurried after her with an attack during one of their first sparring matches. Talia stuck her foot between both of Cat's and quickly flipped him over her shoulder, dumping him over the side of the boat and into the freezing ocean water. "Watch your footwork!" Talia finished, leaning out to look down at Cat. Toothless stood beside her and snickered.

"Rule Number Twenty-Eight: Concentrate!" Talia called out another day, standing next to three targets they'd set up and pointing to her temples as Cat picked up three daggers in one hand and threw them at the targets. Only problem was, his eyes snapped shut while he was throwing. Cat and Toothless, who was standing next to him, winced. "Rule Number Thirty-Two!" Talia shouted, her back arched awkwardly to avoid two of the daggers at her left side and one up on the right of her head, impaling the mast she'd been standing in front of and no where near the targets. "Aim!"

Throughout training sessions, Talia would try to remind Cat that plenty of warriors have faced the odds, and ended up a mockery. Grimbeard the Ghastly was a fantastic example because everyone ended up thinking he was crazy.

"Don't believe the stories that you read on all the crockery." She'd told him, explaining how con artists made people believe they were Heroes. Sir Clorex, The Monkey King, and many others.

Another day saw them sparring with their swords again. Cat was stumbling away, trying to defend and avoid her attacks, but he kept slipping and tripping, which would cost him the round. After falling on his ass for the thirteenth time, Cat sighed heavily and his shoulders drooped in defeat, but Talia held out her hand to him, and after looking up from under his lashes, Cat took her hand, and she pulled him to his feet. They took their stances at guard and started again. This time Talia started talking to him.

"To be a true Hero, kid, is a dying art." Talia lunged forward, and Cat blocked and stumbled back. Talia lunged again. "Like painting a masterpiece." He jumped back, this time, and almost lost his footing, but managed to get his feet under him just long enough to push up into a back aerial stunt that he'd only pulled off in the air with the dragons. He landed in a crouch, facing her with excited wide eyes, and Talia grinned. "It's a work of heart!"

Throughout the days of training, Talia drilled Cat with every lesson her Grandfather passed on to her. She constantly reminded him; It takes more then sinew; bulging muscles and endless strength. It comes down to what's in you. A Hero has to continue to grow.

And Cat took it all in, pushing himself to meet her demands. He trained harder than anyone she'd ever worked with, he asked questions and practiced on his own during his free moments. But what really impressed her was during one of their sparring matches, when he finally managed to block her attack and deter it off to the side, forcing her to stumble back. They had both stood, completely stunned for a moment, and then Talia grinned. "Now that's more like it!"

She lunged at him with a new excitement building in her gut. She had a good feeling about this. Yeah, she was down to her one last shot, and her last high note, before she had to admit defeat and hang up her sword forever, and she didn't have a doubt that would kill her. But none of that managed to bother her.

Cat's training with the sword was painfully slow, but it was working, and he had other skills that were getting finely tuned with each lesson. Talia didn't know what it was, but there was something different about Cat. Something she'd never seen before. And she was convinced that he was, not only her last shot, but also her best shot.

Her dreams were on Cat, and she somehow knew he'd make them come true one day. And until that 'one day' came, she'd make sure he kept climbing that uphill slope and pushing that envelope because he had the makings to be something great, and she wanted to see him do it. Cat was her one last hope, and it was all up to him.

* * *

The days passed by, and soon enough they'd passed through the Archipelago once again, crossing it's Northern border out into the unmarked territory that belonged to pirates and world travelers. Hiccup trained with Talia every single day, and still kept up with the lessons in sailing and navigating from Eret. Toothless found it all to be quite interesting and amusing most of the time.

The other dragons were much happier since they'd left the Archipelago, free to be out in the open whenever they please instead of cooped up in the belly of the ship. Toothless and Sharpshot, who were given more freedom due to advanced stealth capabilities, stayed closer to Hiccup, allowing the other dragons to enjoy their long flights without worrying too much.

The barrier fog bank of the Archipelago was still visible on the horizon behind them, and large fluffy clouds drifted across the sky, but Hiccup could still see large chunks of blue and feel the warmth of the sun as it shone bright in the sky. The wind wasn't very strong, and their sails hung mostly limp, making them slow and almost unmoving at some times.

Despite the seemingly peaceful and relaxing day, sweat dripped down Hiccup's face and his lungs burned as they screamed for him to stop training long enough to catch a breath. Talia didn't let up for a second, though, coming straight at him with a righteous battle cry. Her sword gracefully twisted around his, knocking it to the side, and then Talia rammed him in the chest with her shoulder. Hiccup hit the deck hard on his back and laid there for a moment, stunned. When he managed to move, he slowly pushed himself up into a sitting position, rubbing his throbbing head.

"You okay?" Talia asked, and Hiccup felt a bit better seeing that she, too, was panting, if only slightly. It still meant he was getting better.

"Yeah! I'm good! Just give me a minute." Hiccup laughed weakly, and then winced and gently rubbed the back of his head. "Maybe an hour."

Talia straightened, sheathed her sword, and then held out her hand with a smile. "Let's take a break."

Hiccup's entire body screamed wit joyous relief and he slumped back, spread-eagle on the deck of the ship. Talia laughed, and Toothless chose that moment to walk over and nuzzle Hiccup's cheek. Hiccup reached up and hugged Toothless's neck, and the dragon wrapped paws and tail around until he was curled about Hiccup who was tucked between the Night Fury's front paws. They nuzzled each other's heads, an then Hiccup curled up, using one of Toothless's paws as a pillow. Toothless rested the opposite paw on top of Hiccup's legs and his chin over Hiccup's entire side.

"The kid sneak away for a nap while you were lecturing?" Eret chuckled, walking up to stand beside Talia. Hiccup opened his eyes to watch the exchange.

It wasn't that they weren't friendly with each other, it's just that Eret and Talia didn't spend much time together. They seemed indifferent for the most part, but they both had very strong opinions about similar things, and, more often than not, they were at odds with each other.

"No, I let him go. He's earned it." Talia said with a shrug and Eret nodded.

"For once we agree on something." Eret smirked, and Talia rolled her eyes. "What about you? No rest for the teacher?"

"I've barely started. Cat's still trying to learn the basics, but I want to work on my own techniques." Talia told him.

"You need a sparring partner?" Eret offered, raising an eyebrow and resting his hand on his sword hilt at his hip. Talia snorted.

"Please, you wouldn't be able to keep up, old man." Talia's grin widened wickedly, and Eret's jaw dropped open with an incredulous expression.

"Old Man?" He repeated, obviously not fond of the title. "How old do you think I am?" He demanded.

"I don't know, thirty?" Talia guessed with a shrug, and Hiccup strained to keep in his laughter.

"I'm, twenty." Eret deadpanned, "I'm only five years older than you!"

"Five and a half years old than Cat." Talia replied smugly, and that got some surprise out of Eret.

"Really?" Eret asked, looking over at Hiccup who wasn't exactly fond of being half a year behind his peers when he was in school.

"Yes! Okay, fine! I was born in February! What's the big deal? Age is a social construct, anyways!" Hiccup could feel his cheeks getting a little warm and huffed with annoyance. Talia and Eret stared at him for a moment, seemingly lost, and then turned back to each other and shrugged.

"My point is that I'm not Old!" Eret clarified, crossing his arms over his chest, and Talia snickered. "Alright, if you need more convincing, how about a duel, then? A little friendly competition."

Talia considered this for a moment. "Alright, why not? Should be interesting to say the least."

They moved away from each other, putting about five feet between them and then drawing their swords. The commotion caught the attention of the other crew members, and murmurs floated through the air as they started to gather around. Hiccup shifted onto Toothless's back, able to see better from the higher vantage point while Toothless sat up to see better himself.

For a moment everything was still and quiet, neither warrior even blinking, and then it started all at once. Talia lunged forward with a battle cry, but Eret quickly brought up his sword to block the attack. Metal hissed against metal as they slid to a stalemate, eye-to-eye for a moment, and then they pushed off each other and began circling on the deck.

Talia and Eret both lunged at the same time. Talia's sword was angled towards Eret's, but Eret slipped to the side at the last moment, moving passed her, and used the hilt of his sword to hit Talia in the back, right between the shoulder blades. The hit threw her off balance, and Talia started to fall towards the floor, but she managed to tuck her head and move the momentum into a roll. She ended in a crouch and jumped up to face Eret again just after Eret turned around as well.

"You're not so bad at this." Talia admitted with a smile.

"You don't live this kind of life without picking up a few things." Eret told her. "I'm more impressed by your skill. You're very talented for someone so young."

"You haven't seen anything yet!" Talia promised him, rushing forward again. Their swords cracked and shrieked as they moved in a knot of constant action, neither of them willing to be the first to pull away this time. Hiccup stared in utter amazement with the crew as Talia used Eret's arm to swing herself up and over his back and then whirl her sword straight towards his neck, but Eret blocked the attack, throwing her sword arm off to the side and using her free arm to wrap around her own neck in a choke hold. Talia kicked back, nailing Eret in the stomach, and broke free, but both skidded to a stop on the wooden deck and lunged right back into the fight.

They were both breathing hard, and sweat was starting to gather on their brows, but neither of them was letting up. Eret was backing up with each step, moving them closer and closer to one of the large nets that they had laid out on the deck to untangle all of the knots. Hiccup had a flash of memory of No-Name dangling from the main mast, caught in a net like a wild boar trap, and Hiccup suddenly had an idea of what the Captain might be planning.

But still, Hiccup couldn't help noticing that Eret and Talia were both smiling brightly. Eret's eyes were awed and impress; sparkling with mischievous thoughtfulness. Talia shone with happiness and fun, her eyes bright and fiery with life. Hiccup wondered, briefly, what each of them were thinking.

Then, in the blink of an eye, Eret stopped moving back, and Talia's sword snaked around his, yanking the opposing blade out of Eret's hand and throwing it across the deck. Instead of ducking out of the way when Talia raised her arm to hold him at sword-point, Eret simply raised his hands in an open-palmed gesture of submission.

"I yield." He smiled, and Talia's sword drooped a bit in her surprise. The crew applauded, and a couple cheered, but after the initial shock, Talia eyed Eret suspiciously.

"...You let me win." She stated slowly, her brow furrowing in confusion and wariness, but Eret only grinned.

"And what makes you say that?" He asked, opening his arms wider in an innocent expression. Hiccup snorted as he slid off of Toothless and slipped closer to the arguing pair.

"Because you're too good. You could've fended me off for at least a short time. Long enough to get your sword back if you really wanted to." Talia said with more confidence and certainty as she slid her sword back into it's sheath at her hip.

"I honestly have no idea what you're talking about." Eret smiled, placing his right hand over his heart in a slight bow, his left arm still out to his side. "Why would I do a thing like that? I have nothing to gain from you winning this match."

Talia still looked unconvinced, and opened her mouth to argue, but before she could make a sound, Ug called from the crows nest.

"Captain! Something's comin' in off the Port Bow!"

A murmur went through the men, and everyone moved to look over the left edge of the ship. Hiccup and Toothless fell in beside Talia as Eret hopped up onto the railing and held onto a rope as he leaned out for a better look.

Something seven feet long and three feet wide was bobbing in the water, slowly making it's way toward the ship. For a moment, Hiccup thought it might be an abnormally large piece of driftwood, indicating land near by, but when he looked closer, he saw that the wood was too flat and shaped to be natural.

"Cast the ropes, lads, pull it aboard!" Eret called out, and several men darted off to get the heavy ropes.

After getting a noose around the thing, and a lot of pulling and struggling, they finally managed to get the wooden thing onto the ship. Everyone stepped back, surrounding the thing in a large half circle, but no one dared to move forward after realizing what it was.

"It's a coffin, sir." One of the crew members muttered, inching away from the burdened object.

"Yes, I see it." Eret nodded, patting the man on the should and stepping closer to eye the coffin.

"What should we do with it, Captain?" No-Name asked, cowering back with the rest of the crew. "Disrespecting the dead is bad luck."

"Easy, lads. We'll get to the bottom of this." Eret assured steadily, and Hiccup decided to ease forward, eying the casket and sniffing the air around it. Toothless hurried after him and pressed close to Hiccup's side. "Something feel off?" Eret asked, raising an eyebrow at Hiccup.

"I don't know." Hiccup replied honestly, inching closer and closer to the coffin despite the _Caution_ that was rolling off of Toothless in waves. "I can't explain it, but it feels weird." Hiccup said, passing Eret and reaching out to touch the coffin.

There was a sharp intake of breath throughout the entire crew when Hiccup touched it, but nothing happened. Assured that touching the casket was probably fine, Hiccup raised his hand and brushed away the barnacles and crusted sand from the coffin, revealing an inscription on the lid.

"Beware! Do not open this coffin!" Hiccup read aloud, and instantly the crowd of pirates rushed forward to get a look at the words. Hiccup looked up, shared a curious look with Eret, and then started to brush away more of the grime that had collected on the very old coffin. Beneath the inscription was another message, in letters scratched out with some kind of dagger, and stained with something that might once have been blood. "Cursed be he who disturbs the remains of Grimbeard the Ghastly, the Greatest Pirate who ever struck terror into the Inner Isles."

Hiccup felt a cold, clammy shiver run down his back, and he suddenly knew that something Really Bad was going to happen.

Grimbeard the Ghastly had been Hiccup's own great-great-grandfather. The Lost Treasure of Grimbeard the Ghastly was a popular Hooligan Saga. It told of how Grimbeard had won a glorious treasure through his brilliance at piracy and sword-fighting, a treasure that included his famous sword, the Stormblade. But after twenty years of glorious rule, Grimbeard had disappeared on a mysterious quest, and neither he nor the treasure were ever seen again.

And now here, out of the blue, one hundred years later, his coffin had appeared at sea and ended up on their ship... It was spooky, to say the least.

The crew burst into excited and terrified talking, shouting back and forth about what they should do, but Hiccup stayed silent. Hiccup knew that Grimbeard the Ghastly had been the Ultimate Pirate. The Greediest, Grisliest, Goriest Viking who had ever sailed and slew his way across the Northern Seas. Treasure or no treasure, if a man like Grimbeard the Ghastly was telling you not to mess with his coffin, it was Hiccup's personal opinion that you ought to listen.

Even if he had been dead for a hundred years.

"Oh, honestly! It's just a coffin, and who even says if this is the Real coffin of Grimbeard the Ghastly? I thought you were all Fearsome Pirates who laughed in the face of Death! It's on the ship now, so we may as well open it!" Talia said, crossing her arms over her chest.

"But what about the curse?" Teeny asked, his finger fiddling in front of him as his shoulders curled forward in fright.

"No one ever got a curse from opening a coffin, and the lass has a point." Eret said thoughtfully.

"Or we could not! We could throw it back overboard and keep on sailing! Why risk a terrible curse from the deadliest pirate who ever lived, am I right?" Hiccup spewed out in rapid fire, moving away from the coffin very quickly, and Toothless stood over him protectively while he stayed crouched low to the deck.

"But what if Grimbeard's treasure really is in there?" Ug questioned, and several men around him murmured in curious agreement. "We could be rich!"

"Alright, we'll vote!" Eret finally decided. "All those in favor of opening the box say Aye!"

"AYE!" Bellowed up from everyone except Eret and Hiccup, and Eret shrugged.

"Open the coffin it is!" The Captain announced, pulling his second sword from his back sheath.

 _"This is a terrible idea."_ Toothless growled low in his chest.

"You're telling me? This is not a good idea." Hiccup muttered back as Eret used his sword to break the rusted iron clasps. "Not a good idea, NOT a good idea, NOT A GOOD IDEA!" Hiccup repeated under his breath as Eret finally pushed up the lid with a loud CREAK!

The coffin lid dropped open with a loud bang, and seawater splashed out of it from all sides. Everyone was trying hard not to look nervous, and Eret peered into the coffin. A confused expression came over the Captain's face, and then it turned thoughtful.

"I never would've thought Grimbeard the Ghastly was a blonde..." He said, and a murmur went through everyone as they inched closer and stretched to try and sneak a peek. Hiccup moved forward again, looking into the casket with Eret and Talia on either side, and Toothless over his head.

There was a man inside the coffin, in a state of green and yellow decay. It wasn't so bad really. The face was all slimy and drippy, but it wasn't crawling with maggots or anything disgusting. Rather peaceful actually, lying there so still... And then Hiccup was sure he saw one of the paper-white fingers twitch slightly. He blinked and stared hard at it, and nothing happened for a second.

And then there it was again, a definite quivering.

"The c-c-corpse!" Hiccup stuttered out. "It's m-m-moving!"

"What?!" They all yelled, snapping to look at him, but at the same time the corpse snapped straight upright, yellow eyes popping open and dribbly green face contorted in a half-drowned grimace. The corpse looked at all of them, and they all looked at the corpse, and then Hiccup, Eret, Talia, the crew, the dragons, and the corpse all started screaming. "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH!"

Seawater poured out of the coffin as the corpse choked on it's scream and started making disgusting gurgling noises. The veins on it's popping yellow eyes stood out, it's grey mouth quivered horribly.

"Wait!" Hiccup called out, noticing a distinct lacking of familiarity in the corpse. "Don't panic! This isn't the corpse of Grimbeard the Ghastly!" He shouted, and that managed to catch their attentions. As he yelled, Hiccup moved forward and patted the back of the corpse. Seawater sputtered out of it in all directions, coming out of it's nose, ears, and mouth.

It clearly wasn't the corpse of Grimbeard the Ghastly. Now that it had recovered from it's coughing fit, and was climbing out of the casket on very shaky legs, they could all see it was a man. He was seven feet tall, and had probably been very cramped in the coffin. He had long blonde hair that reached down to the backs of his knees in glorious waves, his yellow eyes were fading to a more natural blue, and the green of his skin was turning to the bright pink of someone who'd spent the past few days in a nearly-drowned state. His muscles bulged everywhere, his chin was sharp and strong, and his clothes would be nice had they not been torn apart by seawater.

Eret stepped forward cautiously, Talia a step behind with a hand on her sword hilt, and Hiccup scampered off to the side using all fours to stay closer to the deck. A defensive and stealth measure he picked up from the dragons.

"Who are you? And what on earth were you doing in that casket?" Eret wanted to know, glaring suspiciously at the handsome man who was dusting himself off as best he could.

Being addressed by Eret, the man straightened and gave an elegant bow that had Eret raising his eyebrow, unimpressed. "I am terribly sorry for the intrusion!" The man apologized. "I'm afraid I was in a bit of a tight spot, and I must thank you for pulling me out of the water and opening the coffin!"

Eret didn't reply. He simply stared at the blonde man with a hardened, blank expression. The man coughed and chuckled awkwardly, his smile more of a grimace as things became more awkward. "Well," The man continued. "I suppose there's no sense in hiding anything sense you've seen the coffin! My name is Humongous the Hotshot Hero!" He introduced himself grandly, taking a deep bow as everyone exchanged confused or curious looks. Eret looked slightly disgusted by all the grandeur. "And you see, fine gentlemen," Talia snorted. "I was stuffed into that coffin by some very rude people who wanted the treasure of Grimbeard the Ghastly for themselves. I was out adventuring, as I always do, and I happened upon this port where I met a merchant with a peculiar map. Well, naturally I bought it, thinking it a treasure map, and that when I found the treasure, I could donate the money to the poor orphanage of the port city."

"Of course what I didn't know was that the map I bought was in fact a map which led to the exact burial place of Grimbeard the Ghastly. I joined with a crew for the voyage, and once we discovered the coffin, they immediately betrayed me, stuffing me in the box and throwing me overboard to drown!" Humongous told them.

"So you found the treasure and got dumped, not the first time that's happened to someone, pal." Talia rolled her eyes, crossing her arms over her chest in exasperation.

"Oh, but you don't understand! When we opened the coffin, going through several deadly booby-traps of course, we didn't find any treasure, nor the corpse of Grimbeard the Ghastly, the only thing we found was... This map, and this riddle!" Humongous produced two pieces of parchment from the folds of his clothing. "The traitors that cast me out to sea thought they stole the map and riddle from me, but I managed to get it back just before I was shoved into the coffin! You see, I believe these can lead us to the treasure!"

"Us?" Eret growled questioningly. "What makes you think we're interested in your bedtime stories? And if you have the riddle and the map, why not just go after the treasure yourself?"

"Why, you must know the Saga of The Lost Treasure of Grimbeard the Ghastly! Not just anyone can go find the treasure, it's said that only someone with a mind such as Grimbeard's could find it! And there's the matter of the riddle." Humongous explained, unfolding one of the papers he held and reading aloud from it. " _'Dare you brave the watery grave? The Death's Head prick of fire and sleep? If you dare, you are my Heir. For my Heir's Beast shall sniff it there. And he shall tell me underground. Am I lost, or am I found?'_... So you see, I haven't the foggiest clue as to what all this might mean, but I was hoping to find the Heir of Grimbeard the Ghastly. I'm told the Chief of the Isle of Berk is his great-grandson."

Talia's eyes snapped over to Hiccup, and he smiled weakly, unable to deny the conclusion she'd no-doubt just come to.

"If you'll allow us a moment." Eret told Humongous and then turned to the crew. Hiccup hurried over, avoiding Talia's questioning stare. "What do you all think?"

"I think the Treasure of Grimbeard the Ghastly could make us all richer than our wildest dreams!" Teeny said, and there were murmurs of agreement.

"Could be the death of us, too. Grimbeard was known for his tricks and strange mind. He had a vicious sense of humor." Ug added, and there were more murmurs of agreement.

"There's no way we'll get anything if we bring the map to the Vikings." No-Name pointed out, and there were several disheartened grumbles.

"Maybe we can solve the riddle ourselves." Talia suggested, catching their attention. "You're pirates, aren't you? Put your heads together and you might be tricky enough to find Grimbeard's treasure. And I happen to know someone who is excellent at solving riddles." Talia finished by looking directly at Hiccup who, again, smiled weakly as all eyes fell on him.

"I thought you didn't want to be a pirate." Hiccup grumbled at Talia.

"Pirate? No. But I'd have to be dead to not be interested in that treasure. That's the stuff of legends!" Talia retorted.

"We're agreed then?" Eret asked, and a chorus of Aye's went up from the crew. Eret looked down at Hiccup who sighed in defeat and nodded, so Eret turned back to Humongous. "We'll help you find the treasure, but we each want our own cut."

"Of course!" Humongous assured, feeling relieved and lucky. "I wouldn't dream of it being any other way! But what about the riddle?"

"We have someone who might be able to help with that." The Captain said, looking to the side.

A black as night dragon had swooped over and wrapped it's front paws around a small boy, keeping it's head low to cover the boy protectively. The boy had fluffy brown hair that fell over his forehead, big green eyes that seemed to sparkle, and was covered in freckles. The only word Humongous could think of was 'cute', and he felt himself blushing at the tiny boy who looked up at him with his head tilted to the side just slightly.

The dragon growled loudly, and Humongous almost choked on his own tongue when he looked up and saw the beast's deathly glare, it's lips pulled back in a snarl. And then a chill went up his spine, and he turned to see the Captain of the ship and the random girl standing behind him, their figures decidedly darker, and they seemed to loom over him threateningly. Swallowing thickly, Humongous turned back to the boy and saw only slight curiosity on his face.

"A-and who might you be, lad?" Humongous said, giving the boy a friendly smile.

"I'm Cat, and despite the fact that this is a horrible idea, I'll try and solve the riddle for you." Cat sighed, sticking out his open hand. Humongous gave him the map and riddle, and Cat quickly scanned them over.

Hiccup pursed his lips in thought, eying the drawings on the map, and the words from the riddle, and within a moment he knew what the first answer to the riddle was.

"Death's Head is a skull." He announced, to the crew who had given him their full attention. "It want's us to go to the Isle of the Skullions."

"The Isle of the Skullions?" Humongous asked excitedly. "That's where we'll find the treasure?"

"If I'm right, then there's no question of finding the treasure." Hiccup told them plainly. "No one has ever returned from the Isle of the Skullions alive."


	7. Nothing's Ever Simple

_NOTES:_ It's hard knowing more than what you can say

**Chapter 7: Nothing's Ever Simple**

Outside the sky was grey with slithering, sliding clouds that hissed promises of rain and thunder. The green of the grassy fields and dense forest had darkened, and the lake water looked like liquid metal. The hard, stone walls of the castle looked menacing from the outside, but inside the halls, torches burned with light and warmth as students, teachers, and staff went about their morning routines.

Merida, having just finished breakfast, was on her way to Defense Against the Dark Arts when Jack and Rapunzel came up to her and told her that North wanted to see them before class. Unsure of whether or not being summoned by the Deputy Headmaster was a good or bad thing in this instant, Merida only nodded and the three set off for North's private office.

"What do you think he wants to talk to us about?" Merida asked as they climbed the large sets of stairs to get to the right floor.

"I don't know," Jack said, looking at Merida and Rapunzel as they walked. "The Guardians have barely said a word to me since we arrived, let alone included me in any of their meetings..."

"I just hope it isn't bad news." Rapunzel admitted with a small, shaky sigh. Merida didn't say anything, but shared grim expressions with Jack.

They walked in silence after that, keeping up a brisk pace until they reached North's office. They spoke the password and walked through the sitting room to the main office beyond, not bothering to wait for the invitation. Once they arrived, they found the four main Guardians waiting for them; North, Bunnymund, Toothiana, and Sandman. They were all bent over North's desk, but straightened as soon as they pushed the door open.

"Children, I'm glad you could make it!" North smiled as he rolled up the parchment they'd been looking at, but Merida couldn't help notice that it didn't quite reach up to his eyes as it usually did.

"You wanted to speak with us, Professor?" Rapunzel reminded him politely.

"Yes! Yes, of course." North said, rounding his desk so he could stand in front of them. Closer; more personal. "We wanted to ask a favor of you three."

"What kind of favor?" Merida wanted to know, looking at each of the Guardians as they fell in to complete the small circle.

"There have been some troubling developments in our investigations against Pitch. He's getting more and more active. And, in light of... recent events, the Ministry has started questioning our abilities to run the school and carry our responsibilities as Guardians." Bunnymund told them, his eyes shifting from each of them, to North, and back again.

"What developments are you talking about? And is that why Lady Tremaine is here?" Jack inquired, and Bunnymund looked like he wanted to say a few things, but North quickly jumped in.

"Lady Tremaine has come from the Ministry to pick up some of the slack at the school, yes, but it is still under our control." North said reassuringly. "We have come to some agreeable terms with the Prime Minister, and as for our investigations," North cut a warning glare at Bunnymund. "None of you should be worrying about such things. It is too dangerous for you three to be involved right now."

"What? But what about all that talk about training? What about us helping you fight Pitch?" Jack demanded, his fist clenching around his staff.

"That's why we're asking you to do this for us." Toothiana told him, looking at each of them in turn. "We have reason to believe that Pitch has reconnected with many of his old followers and is currently trying to raise his army once again. We're asking you three to not get involved. It's too dangerous for you to be off on your own, and we can't always be there to protect you. We need to find Pitch and put an end to his army before they can grow any stronger."

"We're trying to do it as fast as possible so we can get the Ministry off all our backs." Bunnymund confided to them, and Merida wondered just how much they weren't telling them and why Bunny seemed to be the only one against it.

"Until we can ensure the safety of the school, we must ask each of you to not stray from the path. Don't go looking for trouble." North said, fixing a firm gaze on them as he waited patiently for them to give their word. Merida looked over at Jack and Rapunzel, who returned her reluctant expression in full, and then they all faced the Guardians once again.

"We stay out of the way." Jack promised, and Merida nodded in agreement along with Rapunzel.

If the Guardians were focused on Pitch and the Ministry all year, then maybe they wouldn't notice Merida, Rapunzel, and Jack doing a little investigation of their own.

* * *

Not an hour later, Merida was seated in the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom with all the other fifth year Gryffindors and Slytherins. Jack sat with Mavis at the desk one forward and in the aisle next to Merida's, while Merida sat at a desk with Penny. They were towards the center of the classroom, the loud excitement of their peers all around them.

Tuffnut folded and enchanted a piece of parchment to fly around the room like a bird, and Gryffindors and Slytherins alike took turns at trying to knock it out of the air. The paper bird flew about the room in a large circle, swooping and ducking with each shift in the air, and then, with a hiss, it suddenly turned black and charred, the edges glowing with red embers. It floated down, falling on Ruff and Tuff's desk, right in front of Ruffnut. Both of them looked a little sad at the ruined paper bird.

"Good morning, Children."

Everyone turned towards the door, the source of the smooth and polished voice, and found Lady Tremaine standing there with perfect posture, her wand held elegantly in one hand. She started down one of the aisles between the seats, flicking her wand at the chalk board.

"Ordinary Wizarding Level Examinations." She said slowly, her voice sickly sweet as each word was written out by the floating chalk. "O-W-L's, more commonly known as OWLs." She further explained, turning to face them at the head of the classroom with her hands folded neatly in front of her. "Study hard and you will be rewarded. Fail to do so, and the consequences may be -severe." She finished with a slight shrug, and then gave a clipped flick of her wand.

Four stacks of books that had been set on the teachers desk began to float forward, along each row of seats. At each desk, a book from the top of the desk would fly out and plant itself in front of a student with a strict thump.

"Your previous instruction in this subject has been disturbingly uneven," Lady Tremaine informed them, and a book thumped down in front of Merida. "But you will be pleased to know, from now on, you will be following a carefully structured, Ministry approved course of Defensive Magic, -Yes?"

"There's nothing in here about using defensive spells..." Jack pointed out in confusion after lowering his raised hand.

"Using spells?" Lady Tremaine gave a peep of laughter. "I can't imagine why you would need to use spells in my classroom." She said, stepping over closer to Jack. Several of the other students paused at that, confusion written on their expressions.

"We're not gonna use magic?" Jack asked, his furrowed brow portraying his dislike of this idea.

"You'll be learning about Defensive Spells in a secure, risk-free way." Lady Tremaine tried to assure them, but the more Merida looked at the stupid book and listened to Lady Tremaine, the more she hated it all.

"What use is that? If we're going to be attacked it won't be 'risk-free'." Merida argued, letting her book fall closed and resting her arms on top of it.

"Students will raise their hands when they speak in my class." Lady Tremaine ordered, her back to them as she returned to her place of dominance at the front of the classroom. She turned back to them again, her paper-like smile set firmly in place. "It is the view of the Ministry that a theoretical knowledge will be sufficient to get you through your examinations, which after all is what school is all about."

"And how is 'theory' supposed to prepare us for what's out there?" Merida demanded.

"There is nothing out there, dear." Lady Tremaine assured her gently, as if trying to comfort a troublesome child. "Who do you imagine would want to attack children, like yourself?"

"Oh! I don't know, maybe dragons? Or Nightmares? Or Pitch Black?" Merida retorted just as obviously, refusing to back down, and the classroom fell deathly silent. Everyone knew exactly what Merida was talking about, and no one was going to argue with her.

Lady Tremaine frowned, completely distraught by Merida's defiance, and Merida couldn't find it in herself to not enjoy the sight of it. The pristine Lady of the Ministry took a shaky breath, and then started walking forward, addressing the class.

"Now let me make this quite plain." She began. "You have been told that a certain Dark Sorcerer has regained his full power in this realm once again. This. Is. A. Lie."

"It's not a lie! He attacked Mr. Crood's hut just last year! He's growing stronger!" Merida fought back immediately, wondering how on earth the Ministry had fooled themselves into believing that Pitch hadn't regained his powers. What exactly were the Guardians not telling them earlier that morning?

"Detention, Ms. DunBroch!" Lady Tremaine interrupted before Merida could speak out much more, retreating back to the front of the classroom again, but the fire-haired princess pushed on anyways.

"So according to you Hiccup Haddock dropped dead over a cliff of his own accord?" Merida shouted, slamming her palms on her desk and standing up.

"Hiccup Haddock's death was a tragic accident." Lady Tremaine told her, and Merida's hands balled into tight fists.

"It was murder! Someone had to let the dragon into the school! Who else could do that but Pitch Black?! You must know that!" Merida yelled back.

"ENOUGH!" Lady Tremaine shrieked, making everyone jump in their seats. "Enough," She repeated quietly. "See me later, Ms. DunBroch. My office."

* * *

Merida climbed up the steps to Lady Tremaine's office, her hands clenching and flexing at her sides in her frustration. She simply couldn't understand the woman's frame of mind. No one ever said it out loud because they were too afraid, but everyone could at least admit to the obvious possibility, and likelihood, that Pitch Black had been involved in Hiccup's suspected death, just like everyone had to admit that a dragon could not get into the school without being seen all on it's own.

So why was Lady Tremaine so hell-bent on trying to cover it up? What were the Guardians not telling them about the Ministry? Did the Ministry truly believe that Pitch Black hadn't fully returned? That he wasn't out there, building his army with each passing day?

Unable to figure it out, Merida decided to get the detention over with. Lady Tremaine would probably just make her do some reading or something, and maybe Merida could get some useful information to bring back to Jack and Rapunzel. With that in mind, she stepped forward and softly knocked on the wooden door.

"Come in." Was the dainty reply she got, and she pushed the door open. As soon as she stepped into the room she was blinded by all of the pink, and slowly began to register at least a hundred moving cat pictures enchanted on porcelain tea plates hanging on the walls. "Good evening, Ms. DunBroch."

Merida looked up at Lady Tremaine sitting in her pink chair at her pink desk in her pink clothes. The Lady was smiling her usual sickly sweet smile, and Merida struggled not to grimace.

"Sit." Lady Tremaine told her with a small nod to the extra chair and small desk set up to the side and in front of hers. Merida took her seat, and Lady Tremaine continued. "You're going to be doing some lines for me today, Ms. DunBroch." Merida said nothing and moved to open her bag so she could get her quill and ink. "No. Not with your quill. You're going to be using a rather special one of mine."

Lady Tremaine stood from her seat, picking up a quill from her desk, and then moved over to Merida, setting the quill in front of her. The quill had a long, curving feather with a black grip and a clean, silver point. Merida picked it up obediently, and listened as Lady Tremaine started speaking once again.

"I want you to write; I must not tell lies." She said, and Merida's hands tensed again, her knuckles turning white.

"How many times?" Merida finally bit out, angry that she had to do this at all.

"Let's say... For as long as it takes for the message to sink in." Lady Tremaine answered simply, pulling at another string of Merida's temper. The Lady turned away, but Merida turned and called her back.

"You haven't given me any ink." Merida said, annoyance dripping from every syllable.

"Oh, you won't need any ink." Lady Tremaine assured her, and Merida looked back at the quill suspiciously, unsure of what that meant.

Settling into her work, Merida leaned forward and started writing. As Lady Tremaine said, the quill wrote just fine without ink, leaving behind a bright red ink that gathered into dark red pools at the end of each line. Merida finished her first foul line with only a slightly uncomfortable itch on the back of her non-writing hand, but as she began her second the itch increased to a burning pain like a tip of a dagger was digging into her skin.

Merida flexed and wriggled her hand as she gasped at the pain, she looked closely at her hand, wondering what was causing it, and noticed the bright red lines slowly etching themselves into her skin on the back of her hand. In a matter of seconds, 'I must not tell lies' was carved in tiny letters on the back of her hand, and all Merida could do was stare in awe-struck horror at the quill and the angry, irritated marks on her hand.

Lady Tremaine decided to notice she'd stopped working at that moment and came over, tilting her head in curious, innocent confusion. "Yes?"

Hatred and fury burned inside Merida's stomach as she looked up at the woman before her, but she forced the emotions down and carefully kept her face completely blank. "Nothing."

"That's right." Lady Tremaine smiled gently, and then she leaned down towards Merida. "Because you know, deep down, you deserve to be punished. Don't you, Ms. DunBroch?"

For a long, silent moment, they stared at each other. Lady Tremaine smiling her ugly smile that Merida wasn't quite sure was entirely sane anymore, and Merida keeping her emotions and thoughts completely guarded, refusing to give the wicked woman in front of her the satisfaction of further detention.

"Go on." Lady Tremaine finally said, turning and walking back to her desk.

Merida wasn't sure if she meant for her to keep writing, or that she was dismissed for now. Merida decided it was the latter, and quickly made her way out of the office before Lady Tremaine could stop her.

* * *

The smallest study hall was ironically loud with music as the older students of all the Houses lounged about together, commandeering the room for themselves. With it only being the first few weeks of school, homework was light and free-time was in surplus. Tadashi, Eep, and the other Quidditch Captains were discussing tryout schedules at one of the larger tables, Ruffnut and Tuffnut were selling trick candies of their own inventions, Mavis and Johnny were standing by the music box talking, and many others milled about as well.

Merida met Jack and Rapunzel in the back corner, the quietest place in the room, and sat on the couch with Rapunzel while Jack sat on the coffee table across from them. All three leaned in so they could talk quietly.

"Do you really think the Ministry could be that dense? The Guardians have been looking for Pitch since he attacked the school during First Year." Jack muttered after Merida told them about her detention with Lady Tremaine. Of course, she left out certain bits that weren't quite important at the moment.

"But did the Guardians ever report the attack?" Rapunzel whispered back. "That sort of announcement could cause a panic, and maybe the Guardians thought they could defeat Pitch before he regained his full strength."

"But that doesn't explain why they wouldn't tell the Ministry now. If the Guardians and the Ministry worked together, they could easily find Pitch and get rid of him. There are plenty of well-trained Aurors who could help with this sort of thing." Merida pointed out.

"Unless the Ministry is in a panic themselves. What if the Ministry wants to cover up Pitch, just like they're trying to cover up Hiccup's disappearance? There's a good chance the two are connected, so it's not that big of a stretch. Maybe the Ministry is so scared they're trying to pretend like there's nothing wrong." Jack suggested.

"I'd agree with that, but if there's one thing I've figured out today it's that we're going to need proof before we go around shouting out conspiracies, even if they are true." Merida told them, careful to keep her hands folded around the edges of the book she had open in her lap.

"And that brings us to this." Jack said, holding up a small, folded piece of paper. "Nix came back just after lunch, and she brought back a letter from Mr. Arrow." Both Merida and Rapunzel perked up at this, wanting to hear what the Auror had to say about their concerns and inquires. "He said he can't send us his copy of the case file because it's locked away in the 'Closed Cases' vault, and he'd have to get permission from his superiors to get it back. But he told me that North should have a copy of the file somewhere in his office since Hogwarts was directly involved with the investigation."

"Well, that's a start, but the file could be anywhere in North's office, and there's no way we'll convince him to give it to us. Not after this morning." Merida grimace slightly.

"I know, but at least we still have a shot at getting it. All we have to do is find it." Jack replied hopefully. "And Mr. Arrow is on our side. He's still looking for new leads on the case, despite the Ministry closing it. He thinks there's a lot missing, too, and he says he'll help us in whatever way he can."

"Has he found anything besides the original evidence that was collected?" Rapunzel asked.

"Well, he's not sure if it's connected, but..." Jack glanced around to make sure no one was near by and then leaned closer. "There was an attack on a small village in Gabylonia a couple days ago. A dragon burned down an Inn and the neighboring barn. No one got hurt because something scared the dragon off, but just yesterday they found the dragon's body in the forest not far from the village."

Rapunzel gasped, and Merida felt her eyes go wide at the information. What was a dragon doing out by Gabylonia? The Knight's forced the dragons out of the kingdom decades ago, and now the dragons stayed in the far north.

"Mr. Arrow isn't sure how to describe what they found, and their examiners have never seen anything like it, but a lot of people are convinced it's Dark Magic. Some have even mentioned that it looks kinda like black sand." Jack continued, his eyes steady and his mouth a grim line. "It's not a definite connection, but if we could prove it somehow..."

"We could link Pitch Black to Hiccup's disappearance." Rapunzel finished after Jack trailed off. Jack nodded, and they all fell into a tense silence, each of them lost in their own thoughts.

Merida wasn't sure what to think. There were just so many piece to this puzzle, and they still had no idea how to fit them together. Not to mention her dreams. Merida wasn't sure if it was an effect of grief, or if she really was having visions of Hiccup's disappearance, or something else entirely.

"What's wrong with your hand?" Rapunzel's voice yanked Merida out of her thoughts, and the red-head looked up at the sun princess, forcing her expression to stay blank.

"Nothing." Merida replied, putting her right hand on top of her book so they could both see it.

"The other hand." Rapunzel said, not buying the distraction for a moment and grabbing hold of Merida's left wrist. Rapunzel pulled back Merida's sleeve, revealing the smalls scabs and scars that were still healing from her detention period. The words were still clearly visible, despite the impressive amount of healing her hand had managed in just a few hours. "You've got to tell Professor North." Rapunzel told her after a moment.

"No." Merida took her hand away, looking back down at her book. "The Guardians have got enough on their minds and we don't need the attention if we're going to keep up looking for the truth about Hiccup. And anyways, I don't want to give Lady Tremaine the satisfaction."

"Bloody Hell, Merida!" Jack murmured, his eyes flashing with icy anger. "The woman's torturing you! If the parents knew about this -"

"Well, our parents aren't here, Jack." Merida retorted, and for a moment her friends were silent, and then Rapunzel took a breath.

"Merida, you have to report this." Rapunzel said, keeping her voice as firm as possible, but Rapunzel was never very good at giving orders. She hated ordering people around. "It's perfectly simple, -"

"No, it's not!" Merida interrupted her, unable to stop herself. "Rapunzel, whatever this is, it's not simple. None of this is... You don't understand." Merida sighed, tucking her book back into her bag so she could leave. She couldn't bring herself to tell them about her dreams.

"Then help us to." Rapunzel pleaded, but Merida didn't respond. She glanced at Rapunzel and Jack one last time, gathered her things, and left.

She didn't miss the concerned expressions on their faces as she walked away.


	8. Alvin The Treacherous

_NOTES:_ "The second Brethren Court drew up the Pirate Code which has served us well."

**Chapter 8: Alvin the Treacherous**

"Skullions are a very rare, very savage species of flightless dragon. Despite being blind and very nearly deaf, they are one of the most fearsome predators of all dragons, hunting in packs using a highly developed sense of smell alone!" Hiccup lectured for what felt like the hundredth time. "They have this one extra-long, super-sharp claw that they use to disable their victims by cutting the Achilles tendon at the back of the victim's heels, leaving them unable to walk. The Skullion then eats them alive."

They'd been sailing for the past three days, passing through the barrier once again and remaining on the inner edge of the Archipelago Fog-Bank as they traveled east towards the Isle of the Skullions. Not only were they going to one of the most feared islands in the known world, but they were once again within Viking territory, making Hiccup and the dragons restless and fidgety. The only comforting thought was that the Isle of the Skullions was extremely close to the fog-bank, but that added to it's scary factor.

Needless to say, Hiccup was still trying to convince his companions that this was a terrible, terrible idea.

"I see the problem," Humongous said, nodding grimly as he rubbed his chin thoughtfully. Then he smiled brightly at Hiccup. "But I'm sure someone as clever as you will come up with a solution!"

Toothless growled low in his throat, pressing closer to Hiccup's side, and Humongous flinched away with a barely contained whine of fright. Hiccup scratched Toothless's chin soothingly, and Toothless simply turned nuzzled Hiccup's hair with his nose.

 _"I don't like him."_ Toothless grumbled, his tail wrapping around Hiccup's feet protectively.

 _"Do you think he's dangerous?"_ Hiccup wanted to know, but tried not to let on that he and Toothless were conversing.

Toothless snorted. _"Not even if he tried."_

"I'm sure we'll be fine, Cat." Eret tried to reassure him, drawing his attention away from his dragon's somewhat strange behavior. "Besides that, what other weaknesses do they have? You obviously know a lot about these fellows, so maybe there's something we can use to our advantage."

Hiccup huffed, his shoulders dropping in his frustration. "They can't swim. Skullions hate the water... And they sleep through most of the day."

"Well, that's definitely something." Talia said in agreement with Eret, and Hiccup had to wonder, in his annoyance, when those two started agreeing on things. "If they're deaf and sleeping, we don't have to worry about waking them up."

"What if someone steps on one? And what about their acute sense of smell?" Hiccup reminded her.

"Someone would have to be stupid to step on a sleeping dragon," Eret said, crossing his arms over his chest with a smirk. "And we can wade through the water to get to the beach. Then we'll smell like salt and the ocean, and we'll blend right in."

"LAND HO!" Came the cry from the crow's nest, snapping everyone to attention as Teeny slid down the mast to join them on the deck and handed the telescope to Eret.

Hiccup went off to the side, using the netting of the Port Bow to hang onto as he leaned out the side side of the ship, his feet on the railing. Grabbing the telescope and jumping up onto the bowsprit, Eret used the collapsible device to look out at the island off in the distance. Smiling, he handed the telescope down to Talia who stood on his right.

"That's a skull, alright." Eret grinned, but glanced at Hiccup who was a bit farther away on his left.

Hiccup looked out at the island, seeing it much more clearly than anyone else thanks to his... different eyes. He lifted his chin as the breeze brushed through his hair, whispering a wonderful song, and he sniffed, catching some new scents that he didn't recognize. The most prominent presence on the island was a strange dragon scent, which Hiccup assumed was the Skullions. He also felt a pull towards the island that he couldn't explain, and he wasn't sure he wanted to find out what it was.

If it were any other treasure, Hiccup would jump at the chance for adventure, but something about this quest left him feeling agitated.

"Right!" Eret said loudly, drawing the crew's attention. "Once we've landed we split up into groups of two. We fan out across the island and search for the treasure. You all should have a whistle, and if you find the treasure, blow it. Everyone else will hear the whistle and come to help carry the treasure back to the ship. The Skullions' are deaf, and they'll be sleeping during the day, so noise won't be a problem. But watch your footing! We don't want anyone stepping on one and waking the whole herd! And their sense of smell is strong, so we'll need to cover our scent with salt water or mud. Understood?"

"Aye-Aye, Captain!" The crew replied steadily.

"Now, let's get passed those seastacks and find a calm lagoon to anchor in before we cast off the paddle boats." Eret commanded, sending the men off to their different posts.

Hiccup jumped off the railing, and he and Toothless followed Eret and Talia up to the steering wheel on the upper deck. Humongous stumbled after them, and Toothless let out a small growl, but tolerated the large man's presence by curling his tail around Hiccup's legs.

"I still don't like this." Hiccup said, knowing that Eret and Talia would at least listen. "Skullions are one of the most vicious breeds of dragon in existence, and we're not even sure the treasure is on this island. It's just a guess!"

"Cat, you're one of the best riddle solvers I've ever met. You've got to learn to trust your instincts." Talia told him, lightly punching his shoulder. "It'll help you in your sword fighting."

"She's right, you know." Eret agreed, not looking away from where the ship was going and keeping his hands on the wheel.

"Would you two quit agreeing with each other!? It's weird!" Hiccup snapped at them, and Talia just shrugged as Eret let out a bark of laughter.

"It's your first treasure hunt, you're probably just..." Eret trailed off, squinting into the fog that lingered around the seastacks that surrounded the Isle of the Skullions.

Hiccup shared a confused look with Talia, and then they both turned to look in the same direction as Eret, peering into the fog. There was a dark shadow of something big slowly gliding through the fog, and then the front of the ship slid out of the fog. It was painted black with two thick, red stripes running parallel along the top of the ship. The sails must have been white once a long time ago, but were now stained with soot and other unidentifiable substances.

"It's the Hammerhead!" One of the men yelled, quickly followed by cries and shouts of the men running to grab weapons.

"Alvin!" Eret snarled, and Hiccup and Talia looked up at him. Eret didn't notice them because he whirled around, shouting orders and running down the stairs to the main deck. "Throw the anchor! Load the canons! Get ready!"

Hiccup scrambled after Eret to the main deck, going straight to the opening that led into the belly of the ship. He calmed the other dragons, telling them to stay hidden as he covered the hatch. Sharpshot zipped up Hiccup's torso, hiding in his baggy green shirt, and then Hiccup turned to Toothless, trying to convince him to hide while he still had the chance. Toothless grudgingly gave into Hiccup's plea and disappeared into the chaos of the running and yelling men.

"Cat!" Hiccup turned just in time to see Talia toss him a sword. He managed to catch it, but he looked back up at Talia with wide eyes. "This might get ugly." She finished, her mouth set in a grim line.

"You know, this is the only time I've ever wished I didn't have the right to say 'I told you so'." Hiccup informed her, and Talia rolled her eyes, grabbing his arm and dragging him along until the stood with a group of Eret, Humongous, and some of the other men.

Just before they reached the group, large and terrifying figures started shouting and swinging over onto the BlueBlazer from the Hammerhead on loose ropes. It was loud mayhem for almost fifteen minutes, and long before it was over Hiccup started to realize just how horribly outnumbered they were by this giant ship with a giant crew consisting of giant men.

When they'd surrounded them, the opposite crew growled and grumbled, eying them with a crazy kind of menace that made Hiccup's skin crawl. The men were huge and hairy, kinda like Vikings. Their arms and faces had tattoos, earrings and nose-rings glinted in the sun. They had big, angry scars, and their faces were marred with scowls or nasty grins with yellow, rotting teeth.

"Stay behind me. I don't want either of you catching the attention of Alvin the Treacherous." Eret muttered to Hiccup and Talia through his teeth, his jaw and fists muscles working, and then he turned to he men standing in front of him. "What are you doing on my ship?!" Eret demanded, his voice booming and authoritative. The large men faltered and shifted, hesitant.

Hiccup was impressed and amazed. Not even in his wildest dreams could he manage to be so calm and confident in the face of such intimidating odds, let alone take charge and demand the respect of a leader.

Before any of the men could manage to work up the nerve to answer, three of them at the front were shoved aside to make room for an even larger man. His bicep alone was the same size as Hiccup's torso, his shoulders were broad with huge spiked-armor, and his dark brown hair reached down over his shoulders, matching the length of his beard that covered most of his chest. He wore a Viking helmet with massive horns, and his cold, grey-blue eyes were hard as stone as he smiled a wicked grin.

"Eret, my boy!" The man threw his arms wide, a friendly, familiar greeting.

"Alvin." Eret scowled, his fists tightening until his knuckles turned white.

"Come now, Eret, aren't we friends?" Alvin asked, his hand held out towards Eret in an offered handshake, but Eret didn't take it. "No? You wound me, my friend. You can't possibly be upset over me and my men swinging in for a visit." Alvin chuckled.

"What do you want, Alvin? You've come onto my ship uninvited, and your men are holding my crew at sword-point. What's to stop me from ordering my crew into battle?" Eret interrogated.

"Now, now, Eret," Alvin tsked slowly with amusement, not threatened by the much smaller crew. "Let's not jump to rash decisions. I'm not here to cause a fight among friends, I'm simply here to reclaim what belongs to me."

"You're too cocky, Alvin, and you've gone mad! We haven't got anything that belongs to you!" Eret snapped back, looking annoyed and angry.

"Oh, but I think you do! Isn't that right, Humongous?" Alvin grinned wider, looking over at the large, blonde-haired 'hero'.

Silence consumed the deck of the ship, and Hiccup shared looks with Eret and Talia, and then everything clicked. Eret's eyes were dark, snapping with fury as he glowered at Humongous who was watching all of them nervously. Alvin started cackling.

"I'm sure he told you how he snatched the riddle and map just before we shoved him overboard, eh? Humongous the Hotshot Hero is nothing but a fraud who wanted the treasure map and riddle for himself. Of course, he stole it in a very stupid manner. Nearly drowned himself! Tell me, Humongous, what were you planning to do once these fine gentlemen," Alvin paused to gesture to them, and Talia gave an annoyed snort. "Had the treasure loaded onto their ship? Jump into the ocean with it? I wouldn't count on that trick a second time."

"You see, after we realized Humongous had swiped the map and riddle from under our noses, we went chasing after him. By the time we found him, you were fishing him out of the water, and then it was pretty obvious that Humongous, here, was spinning one of his tales. I have to admit, you're a good con-man, Humongous!" Alvin threw an arm around Humongous's shoulders, but the false hero stumbled away, stammering and stuttering.

"I -I'd n-n-never! You betrayed me!" Humongous argued weakly.

"Of course we did! We're Pirates!" Alvin laughed, and several of his men joined him. "As for how we ended up here; I couldn't help but notice how quickly you changed your course after Humongous spilled everything, and, I'll admit, I got curious, so I decided to follow you. It wasn't until just a few minutes ago I finally realized what you all were thinking! The Isle of the Skullions! Pure brilliance! Honestly, I can't believe I didn't think of it myself!" Alvin praised them, waving his arms as he paced around back to where he'd originally been standing. "But then I started thinking, and I started wondering; how did all of you get farther in one day than I, the cruelest, trickiest, most bloodthirsty pirate alive, got in six months? I'll admit, Eret, you're the most formidable of all the other Pirate Lords, but you're no better with something as tricky as riddles than I am. Most of us can't even read that well. So tell me; who solved the first part of the riddle?"

"That's none of your business." Eret growled, his hand curling around the sword handle at his hip as he shifted into a defensive stance in front of Hiccup and Talia. The rest of the crew grumbled in agreement, drawing the swords and pressing forward, ready to fight beside their Captain and protect their own.

Eret and Alvin faced off as their crews glared daringly at each other. Hiccup gripped his sword with both hands, his hair standing on end, but Talia seemed cool and calm, her sword in a light but firm grip.

A volt went up Hiccup's spine as he realized there was no getting out of this one. The tension was thick, making it a little harder to breathe and raising heart-rates. If someone didn't think of something quick, the face off would end in an ugly fight between the two crews. Not only would Eret, Talia, and the other BlueBlazer pirates be in danger, but the dragons would get agitated and attack. They couldn't risk Alvin and his crew finding out about the dragons.

"It was me!" Hiccup cried, dropping the sword and running out to stand between Alvin and his friends. Eret and Talia shouted at him to stop and get back, and Alvin's eyes went wide in disbelief before narrowing into skepticism. "It was me. I solved the first part of the riddle."

"You?" Alvin questioned incredulously, and then his mouth twisted into a sickening smile. "A tiny scrap of a boy? Well, I guess there has to be a reason why they'd keep you around, but I would've of something a little different."

"You stay away from him." Eret snapped, reaching Hiccup in two strides and grabbing onto his arm, but Hiccup pulled away.

"I can find the treasure for you!" Hiccup blurted out, hoping to buy them all a little more time. "I can read and solve riddles. You'll need my help if you want to get anywhere."

"Cat." Eret said, his teeth gritting together.

"Now, Eret, let the boy speak! He has the right to make his own decisions!" Alvin chastised, obviously enjoying Eret's frustration and sudden panic, and then he turned to Hiccup again. "You have my attention, boy."

"I will go with you quietly, and I will help you find the treasure, but only if you agree to leave the BlueBlazer and her crew in peace. You can't hurt anyone." Hiccup offered, steeling his resolve as he held out his hand.

"Well, that's some of the best news I've heard all day!" Alvin grinned ecstatically. "It's a deal, boy!" The large man clasped Hiccup's hand soundly, and then yanked on Hiccup's arm, throwing him to two of his crewmen. Each man grabbed one of Hiccup's arms, and Eret and Talia began to argue, but Alvin moved between them and Hiccup. "Now, he's made his deal, and the Code says a Deals a Deal. It's his right, so don't interfere." The crew looked at Hiccup hesitantly, wanting to help but unable to.

"If you hurt him, Alvin, you'll answer to me." Eret finally said after a long moment of silence, his voice low and dangerous.

"Sorry to break it to you, Eret, but you're not in any condition to be making threats." Alvin chuckled darkly, his eyes glinting coldly, and he turned to his crew. "Slash their sails!" Multiple excited cheers went up through the crew of giants, and several of them split off with their swords to tear the sails of the BlueBlazer.

"Sir, what shall we do with the con-man?" One of Alvin's men asked.

"Leave him here." Alvin waved the man off with one hand as he revealed the map and riddle with his other. "We have everything we need. He's of no use to us."

Humongous gasped and searched his clothing, only just now realizing he'd been pick-pocketed. Eret didn't look anywhere but at Alvin, glaring at the other Captain with a burning rage. Talia's gaze flicked from Eret, to Alvin, to Hiccup, and back again.

"A pleasure doing business with you all!" Alvin grinned, bowing mockingly to them all. He turned and grabbed Hiccup's arm, dragging him towards one of the loose ropes they'd used to swing onto the BlueBlazer. "It's time to cast off! Get moving!"

As he was being dragged away to another ship, Hiccup looked over his shoulder at the small crew that he'd quickly come to consider his friends. All of them looked grim and fearful, wishful that they could stop what was happening. Hiccup swallowed thickly, locked eyes with Eret, and gave a small nod. Eret nodded back.


	9. The Isle of the Skullions

_NOTES:_ Wit Beyond Measure is Man's Greatest Treasure

**Chapter 9: The Isle of the Skullions**

"YOU'RE A FRAUD!" Talia screamed, looming over a cowering Humongous the Not-So Hotshot Hero. "Of all the half-brained, nit-witted, moronic -Ugh!"

They were stranded in a shadowed lagoon, surrounded by sea-stacks. The sails of the BlueBlazer hung limply with giant, gaping holes, shredded and torn by Alvin and his men. The crew stood about, dejected and unsure what to do after such a humiliating defeat. Talia had almost immediately turned her rage on Humongous. Eret, however, hadn't moved from his spot near the railing, watching the direction in the fog where the Hammerhead had disappeared with Alvin, his crew, and Cat.

Eret's hands flexed and clenched into fists as he struggled to reign in his temper and frustration. How could he have been so oblivious? Alvin the Treacherous is the most vile pirate alive, betraying and plundering everything and everyone. He and his men were known to be the most ruthless crew on the seas, and Eret didn't even want to think of what they'd do if they found out what Cat was capable of with dragons.

"What do we do now?" No-Name asked, holding his bow close to his chest as his bottom lip trembled slightly.

"We've never faced Alvin before... Do we follow the Code?" Teeny questioned, looking around the shocked and uncertain looks of his fellow crew members, and then they all looked to their Captain.

Talia paused in her verbal attack on Humongous and turned to the others, her fists still tight but her expression softening just slightly with confusion. "What Code? What are you all talking about?"

The crew shifted awkwardly, looking at each other as if they were trying to convince one another to tell her. Eret still didn't leave his spot, didn't even turn to look at them, but he decided to have mercy on his crew. If anyone deserved to have Talia's wrath come down on them, besides Humongous, it was him. He was responsible for Cat, and he'd let the boy walk off with one of the deadliest pirates alive.

"The Code of the Pirate Brethren, otherwise known as the Code of the Order of the Brethren. It's the Pirates' code of conduct; what separates us from Outcasts and Warmongers. The Sixth Law states that Any man who falls behind is Left behind." Eret informed her, his gaze fixated on the grey fog and murky waters.

"What?" Talia's breath came out in shallow puffs. "So you're just going to leave Cat behind? Turn tail and run like a bunch of cowards?" She demanded, her upper lip curling into a sneer. "I should have known. You're no better than him!" She snapped, jabbing a finger in the direction of Humongous.

"I didn't say we were leaving." Eret said evenly, his expression blank. Talia froze, staring at him, and the deck fell completely silent. "The Code is more like Guidelines, kid. We're not leaving anyone behind."

"You can't be serious! Alvin and his men are the most dangerous Outcasts of the Archipelago! They'll destroy us all!" Humongous argued, but backed down with a whimper when Talia glared at him.

"Sir, as much as I'd hate to admit it, Alvin and his crew are famous for being really vicious..." No-Name reminded Eret, and the Captain finally turned to look at them all.

"Cat is a part of this crew. He's one of us, and he's somewhere on that island with those lowlifes. We're going after them, and we're getting our boy back." Eret told them, his jaw set and his eyes hard.

"How do we even get to the island? The sails will take hours to repair." Ug pointed out, drawing several of the crews' gazes up to the masts.

"I might have a few ideas." Talia grinned, catching all their attention. They followed her gaze and found Stormfly had silently climbed out of the hull and jumped up onto one of the railings with Hookfang following behind onto the deck, and Meatlug and Barf and Belch peeked out from the opening of the hull. "Alvin thinks he's gotten the better of us with his cheap ambush, but we've got something he can't even begin to imagine. We can beat him."

The crew shifted again with a renewed energy, and Eret smirked, eying Talia as she easily rose their morale. Light murmurings of agreement and determination fluttered through the air, and Talia turned to Humongous and held her sword to his throat.

"You're coming, too." She told him. "You're going to help us get Cat back."

* * *

"Don't sweat." Hiccup told the men surrounding him as they approached the sinister looking island, gaining the attention of four large pirates and Alvin, himself. "Skullions can smell sweat."

Alvin chuckled darkly. "Well, well, well! I guess we made the right choice taking you." He grinned his crooked smile as he bent down to be nose-to-nose with Hiccup. "You're already making yourself useful."

Alvin moved as if to ruffled his hair, but Hiccup jerked away, his lip curling back in a subconscious snarl. Alvin grinned wider at this and grabbed the back of Hiccup's neck with one of his large, meaty hands. Hiccup stiffened and cringed as Alvin steered him towards the front of the ship, keeping him right at his side as they stood at the base of the bowsprit.

Hiccup tried hard not to gag on the awful stench coming from Alvin, and decided to focus on the island he'd soon be traversing. The black cliffs stood in odd, pillar-like formations, and the earth was bright, blood red. All around there were crazy towers of limpet shells stacked up in piles perilously high. Being unable to fly or swim, the Skullions were imprisoned on the island and survived on a diet of primarily limpets. There were also worryingly enormous holes dotted all over the landscape.

"Those must be their burrows." Hiccup muttered more to himself than anyone else, but the way Alvin's hand squeezed his neck told him that the Outcast had heard.

"Good, that must mean they're down there." Alvin snickered again, and the men standing by him joined in.

Hiccup felt his skin crawl at the assumption, but he was too focused on the noise that was making his ears twitch to correct the bumbling pirates around him. He kept his eyes on the island, tilting his head just slightly as he listened to a continuous screech coming from somewhere on the island. It was the sort of noise one might get from sharpening a thousand knives on a thousand stones. It sent all of Hiccup's nerve endings wincing and jangling, even as he realized what the horrible rhythmic scritch-scratch was: the sound of the Skullions sharpening that extra long claws of theirs on rocks somewhere deep on the island. This was a practice Hiccup had read about in the Book of Dragons, but he'd never heard in real life, called "sleep sharpening".

 _"Well, at least we know for sure they're asleep."_ Hiccup thought. Of course, Alvin and his men were entirely human and couldn't hear the far away noise from the safety of the ship. A shuffling against Hiccup's stomach was both ticklish and comforting.

 _"Asleep or not, this is a stupid idea!"_ Sharpshot grumbled quietly from his hiding place inside Hiccup's shirt.

 _"Be quiet! If they find you, they'll kill you."_ Hiccup warned him, and Sharpshot fell silent with an indignant huff.

"Alright!" Alvin shouted out to his men, swinging Hiccup around like a rag doll as he turned to face the rest of the ship. "That's close enough! We'll anchor here, and take the paddle boats to the shore!"

"Aye-Aye, Captain!" A chorus of voices responded, jumping into action to throw the anchor and prepare the smaller boats. Alvin stalked towards the first boat, keeping a firm grip on the back of Hiccup's neck.

It only took about twenty minutes for them to prepare the boats and paddle out to the island, pushing the boats up onto the shore just enough so that they wouldn't be swept away by the tide. During the short boat ride, Alvin had pulled out a pair of wrist shackles and slapped them around Hiccup's forearms. Old, tainted emotions started to swell up inside as Hiccup tried to calm the terror rushing through his veins.

 _"Don't lose control. Don't lose control. Don't lose control!"_ Hiccup's thoughts echoed as flashes of memory shot across his mind and vision.

He was ripped from the warped nightmare of a panic attack when Alvin yanked him out of the boat by the arm, pulling him back to reality and onto the Island of the Skullions. The nails-on-chalkboard screech still reverberated through Hiccup's ears, louder now, but Alvin and his crew still showed no signs of hearing anything.

"Listen here, boy." Alvin growled right in Hiccup's face, his putrid breath making the poor boy want to gag as his eyes began to water. "You're going to lead us to the treasure now, and I don't want any screwing around. Now be a good boy and do as you're told." Alvin grinned wickedly, using the hand he had firmly clamped around Hiccup's bicep to throw him further up the beach and into the half-circle of his men.

Hiccup stumbled, but managed to stay upright as all of the men gave dark chuckles along with their Captain. He paused for a moment, looking at all of the men, unable to see any kind of escape. Alvin was only two strides behind him, and all of the men sneered, their eyes cold and watchful of his every move.

"I..." Hiccup began slowly, trying to think of some way to stall them. "I -I'll need to see the riddle again! Yeah, I only read it once, you know." Hiccup sputtered out, trying to keep his tone light and agreeable as he looked up at Alvin.

"Is that so?" Alvin raised one eyebrow, but seemed to accept Hiccup's reasoning, pulling the riddle from the pouch on his belt. "Fine, then. But I want to hear you read it!" He shoved the rolled paper into Hiccup's hands and then crossed his arms expectantly.

Hiccup straightened himself out, unfolded the parchment, and cleared his throat. "'Dare you brave the watery grave? The Death's Head prick of fire and sleep? If you dare, you are my Heir. For my Heir's Beast shall sniff it there. And he shall tell me underground. Am I lost, or am I found?...'"

"...Well?" Alvin demanded impatiently after a long moment of silence.

"Uh..." Hiccup stuttered, hoping to come up with something that would satisfy Alvin without giving away what he actually thought. "W-well, it's obviously somewhere in the forest! Much more places to hide treasure there." Hiccup gave a quiet sigh of relief as mutterings went up among the men as they nodded and agreed that all that made a lot of sense.

"Get on with it, then!" Alvin snapped, obviously not pleased by being kept waiting. Hiccup nodded and slowly started to lead the way into the trees with Alvin right on his heels.

 _"Did the riddle say 'sniff'? I'm a great sniffer! I can sniff out the treasure!"_ Sharpshot boasted in a whisper, staying hidden inside of Hiccup's shirt.

 _"No!"_ Hiccup immediately replied. _"Not while we're with Alvin and his men. You know they won't take kindly to a dragon."_

 _"Then how do you expect to find the treasure?"_ Sharpshot retorted, not nearly as worried about the pirates as Hiccup was.

 _"Just give me a minute..."_ Hiccup muttered partially to himself as he lifted his eyes from where they'd been fixed on the ground to the endless expanse of trees before him. He tried to keep the steady pace that Alvin pushed him for, but he was more focused on his own senses. His nose twitched as he tilted his head up just slightly, sniffing the air. There was the ocean, and the forest scents, but there was something else... Coppery. Metal.

There was a very strong chance that smell would lead him to the treasure, but that would also mean leading Alvin and his crew to the treasure. If he did that, then Alvin would have the treasure and would probably have no intention of letting Hiccup go. The ultimate results would be Hiccup and the treasure being trapped back on Alvin's ship. Of course, there was the hope that Eret, Talia, and the others would be able to catch up and rescue him, and possibly steal the treasure for themselves, but Hiccup wasn't sure if he could stall for that long. Then again, if Hiccup didn't produce some kind of satisfactory results at some point, Alvin would most likely become frustrated and possibly kill him.

With that in mind, Hiccup decided to follow the scent trail, hoping that his great-great-grandfather had a couple more tricks up his sleeve.

Using his nose, Hiccup lead them deeper and deeper into the forest, the trail angled at a slight but steady incline. The underbrush is thick with ferns and large-leaf plants, the trees stretching high up towards the sky, and the sharpening sounds grew louder the deeper they went into the forest. A thin sheen of sweat started to collect on Hiccup's body smelling strongly of the saltwater they'd bathed in, the shade of the forest doing nothing to lessen the humidity.

After about an hour of continuous walking, the trees started to give way to more rocky and uneven ground. Dirt turned to stone under their feet and the underbrush slowly faded behind them. Hiccup looked up at the strange structure before them and he smiled in breathless amazement.

A small mountain, about the same height as the towering trees, had been turned into a giant cave with hundreds of holes at the front where they stood and on the two sides. No doubt the holes were the work of burrowing Skullions, and the back of the cave was the second half of the mountain, which was slightly taller and slightly larger than the first half. They slowly approached the largest hole, the main entrance of the cave, and found it cool inside. The ground was covered in a fine, powder-like sand. The holes all around the outer walls of the cave and the cracks along the roof allowed for plenty of light to filter in, but it was still mostly shaded.

The natural beauty of the cave was off-set by the piles of limpet shells, giant dusty cobwebs, and human skeletons and bones scattered across the cave. The skeletons wore armor breastplates, chainmail, furs that had been eaten away by moths, and multiple kinds of weapons, some Hiccup knew well and others he'd only seen in books. At the very center, on top of a thick stalagmite that had gotten the top broken off to create a semi-flat surface, sat a massive chest.

It was a wooden chest, very battered and scuffed and gnawed on by Skullions. It had the words 'Property of Grimbeard the Ghastly. DO NOT OPEN!' written on it in large golden letters.

"Would you look at that!" Alvin bellowed with a loud laugh that jostled his gut. His men crowed in excitement as they quickly gathered around the chest. Hiccup hesitated, though. Something didn't feel right about this chest. But, despite his ill feelings, one of Alvin's men grabbed his arm and dragged him to the front of the circle, standing with a front row view of Alvin and the chest. "Ah, excellent timing, Savage!" Alvin grinned when his eyes fell on Hiccup and the man who'd grabbed him.

"I am here to serve, Captain." The man still holding Hiccup's arm bowed slightly. "What shall we do with the boy now that we have the treasure, sir?" Savage grinned maliciously, his eyes glinting as disgustingly as his rotted teeth. The surrounding men growled and muttered excitedly, and Hiccup felt his stomach churn.

One of Alvin's large hands shot out and snatched Hiccup's chin, his stubby fingertips digging into the boy's cheeks. Hiccup yelped in surprise and tried to push away, but Alvin didn't even flinch. "You've proven yourself quite useful, boy. I think I'll keep you, and see what else you're good for..."

The other men laughed and hollered at this, and Hiccup really didn't want to think about Alvin's kind of 'what else'. Alvin just laughed and used his grip to shove Hiccup back into Savage, who grabbed both of Hiccup's upper-arms.

"My sword!" Alvin shouted, and almost instantly a sword was produced for the Captain as he stepped towards the chest. Alvin lifted the sword, and brought it down with enough force to snap the chains wrapped around the chest, keeping it shut. Alvin brushed the remaining pieces of chain aside, and opened the chest with a loud, long creak.

"What?..." Alvin questioned as he let the chest lid fall open, revealing the chest to be full of stones, but on the very top was the most magnificent sword anyone could ever see. Bitingly sharp, the handle was embedded with gold and a gloriously red gem. Across the blade was a zigzag lightning pattern in a lighter silver. "The Stormblade..." Alvin breathed with a grin, throwing his sword to the side and taking the legendary blade of Grimbeard the Ghastly. He held it for a moment, something trembled through the air making Hiccup's skin crawl, and then a terrible smell started to seep out of the chest in the form of a hissing, green gas. It was a horrid smell that made Hiccup's eyes water while Alvin and his crew just sniffed about trying to figure out what it was.

And in that moment, the awful scritch-scratchy of the Skullions' sleep sharpening stopped.

Alvin was leaning over the chest, sniffing at the green gas coming from the chest, and the piles of limpet shells started to shift and crumple, revealing hulking lumps of creatures. More wriggled out from the rib-cages of skeletons and from under piles of bones, and others still burrowed up from the sand right under their feet.

"It's Booby-Trapped!" Alvin roared, as his eyes widened in terrible realization.

The crew started to yell and shout at each other, drawing their weapons and staggering back towards the cave entrance. Hiccup used the moment of utter chaos to his advantage, or at least he tried to. He shifted his weight and stomped down on Savage's foot, making the second-mate grunt in pain and double over slightly. Hiccup yanked himself away, ripping one arm free, but Savage kept a firm grip on the other and it twisted awkwardly, giving a horrible crack right at his shoulder.

Hiccup cried out as pain shot up and down his arm, and Savage yanked on his injured arm to pull him back, but as Hiccup turned towards Savage, Sharpshot lunged out of the top of Hiccup's shirt, biting down hard on Savage's nose. Savage screamed and let go of Hiccup entirely. Hiccup scrambled away just as the Skullions started to become fully aware and swarm towards the unsuspecting pirates.

"Why you little -!" Alvin shouted, raising his new sword as Hiccup ran towards him without noticing, too busy looking back to see where Sharpshot had gone. Hiccup skidded to a stop in the sand, falling backwards just as Alvin's stolen sword came down and slashed through his shirt.

Hiccup fell hard on his back, a stinging feeling along his chest where the cool of Alvin's blade had grazed him, and he looked up to see Alvin towering over him with his sword raised once again. Hiccup gasped, but this time, before Alvin could take the swing, a blast of blue light popped right next to his foot, sending a few rocks and pebbles flying. Alvin yelped, and then he seemed to notice his men, screaming and fleeing from the cave in terror as the hordes of Skullions advanced.

Hiccup jumps at the lapse of attention and rushes to get away, hiding behind the stalagmite. All of Alvin's men were running back to the beach, screaming, and Alvin let out a furious roar before retreating along with his men, the Skullions giving immediate chase. Hiccup strained his ears to listen for Alvin, his men, or the retreating Skullions, and he sighed in relief as he realized none of them were coming back around. He slumped back against the stalagmite, his heart pounding, and tried to slow his breathing back to a normal rate.

His eyes shot back open as the sound of scraping claws and snuffling snouts filtered through the roaring in his ears. He stiffened as he realized three Skullions were lumbering towards him, surrounding him. Their features were strange with no eyes or ears, and no wings on their scaly back. Their scales ranged in colors from dark, dark blue to plummy purple. Their snouts and noses were gigantic in proportion to the rest of their bodies, almost awkwardly so, and they wriggled all around as they sniffed and snuffled at the sand around Hiccup's feet. They had spikes along their spines, one long horn on their forehead, and the deadly claw protruding from the middle toe of their three-toed front feet.

Hiccup tried to scramble back, his back pressing into the stalagmite as the Skullions got closer and closer. His heart was racing, and fear was clogging up his throat like cotton. The Skullion in the middle leaned forward, snuffling his chest and moving up until it got to his face and hair. It snuffled there for a few moments, making some kind of cuffing sound, and then it pulled back. Hiccup slowly opened his eyes, shocked that he was still alive, and looked at the three Skullions who, after trading a few snorts and gurgles, lumbered quickly towards the cave entrance.

Hiccup stared after the three dragons in complete and utter confusion, but his relief was too great for him to question such a wonderful pardon. He slumped back against the stalagmite a second time, panting harder than he ever had in his life. After a moment of catching his breath, he slowly used his good arm push himself up into a proper sitting position. His right arm was definitely dislocated, and what he thought had been nothing more than a graze turned out to be a shallow cut down his chest that was now bleeding all over his torn up shirt.

 _"Hiccup!"_ Hiccup's head snapped around, his eyes swelling quite suddenly, and he found Toothless leaping through one of the smaller holes in the cave and running over to him, Sharpshot flying close behind.

"Toothless!" Hiccup cried out, pushing himself up just enough to fall forward onto his knees and wrap his good arm around Toothless just as the Night Fury skidded to a stop, sniffing and nuzzling him. _Worry_ and _Relief_ flooded Hiccup's senses as Toothless started to lick dirt off of his cheeks and nuzzle his hair. "How did you find me?"

 _"When they took you from the ship, I jumped in the water and followed by swimming. I stayed behind so I wouldn't be spotted, and then I tracked your scent. I wasn't sure I'd be able to with all your washing, but your scent lingers more than humans'."_ Toothless replied, pulling back slightly to look Hiccup in the eye.

"Thank you. Alvin would have killed me if you hadn't shot that plasma blast." Hiccup murmured, burying his face into Toothless's scales for comfort. Toothless responded by putting a large paw on his back and wrapping his tail around him, leaning down to press his nose into Hiccup's fluffy hair. Sharpshot scurried up and put a paw on Hiccup's knee, offering his own silent comfort, and they stayed there, letting Hiccup take a moment to breathe.

A whisper fluttered through the air, tickling Hiccup's ear. He slowly picked his head up, looking around the cavern, Toothless and Sharpshot watching him curiously. Another whispering sound brought Hiccup's focus to the very back of the cave, the wall with no holes.

 _"What is it?"_ Toothless asked, helping Hiccup to his feet when he tried to struggle up on his own.

"Don't either of you hear that?" Hiccup returned the question, but both dragons looked at him in confusion. Hiccup stayed quiet, listening, his eyes focused on the back wall.

And then he saw it. A faint glow coming from around a hidden corner that blended perfectly into the rock-face as part of the seemingly perfect wall. Toothless and Sharpshot perked up, letting Hiccup know he wasn't the only one who saw it. He looked at Toothless, meeting his eyes, and then looked back to the glowing passage.

Toothless pressed close to his side, Sharpshot settled on Hiccup's shoulder, and Hiccup took a deep breath. He exhaled, and walked towards the glowing tunnel.


	10. Lady Fate

**Music:** "Wanderer's Lullaby" by Adriana Figueroa

 _NOTES:_ Letting go means coming to the realization that some people are a part of your History, but not a part of your Destiny.

**Chapter 10: Lady Fate**

Meanwhile; in a cavern deep, deep underground, miles under the surface, something shifted. A change in the air that sent ripples across the small pools that were scattered across the cavern, leading into water-filled tunnels that eventually opened up at the bottom of the sea.

But the shift caused more movement than just a few ripples in the water. A slimy, unattractive tentacle slid across the floor, disturbing the peace of the cavern that had lasted for a very long time. As the movement of several different tentacles grew, disrupting the quiet of the secret cave, a giant eyelid, buried under piles and piles of precious metal snapped open. The gigantic, ancient creature that lived in the depths of the sea, guarding something precious for it's master, released a deep, gurgling growl.

Someone had taken something from it's cavern.

* * *

Talia crouched low to the ground, peeking out around the side of a large rock that was half on the beach and half in the shallow waters. She opened a small telescope that No-Name had let her borrow, and looked along the coast. Down the beach from them were five men standing guard over the paddle boats that had been docked on the sand. Two of them carried bows and arrows while the rest were armed with swords.

Talia slipped back behind the rock and turned around, facing the inside of the small cove. They were almost a mile out, covered by multiple rocks, the edge of the forest, and a couple of sea stacks that kept the BlueBlazer hidden from view.

After untying the dragons from the ropes that they'd used to pull the ship to the island, Stormfly and the others were kind enough to ferry them over three or four at a time until the whole crew was in the cove, washing themselves with salt water to cover their scent. Now, Talia watched as the last of the crew, consisting of Teeny, Eret, and Humongous, finished washing. Humongous seemed to be a bit squeamish over the cold ocean water, so Eret grabbed him by the back of the neck and shoved him under, dunking him completely in the water before releasing him to cough and sputter from the shock. With a satisfied smirk, Eret sloshed out of the water and onto the sand, his mouth settling into a firm line as Talia, the dragons, and all of the men gathered around.

"How many?" He asked outright, his eyes fixed on Talia's.

"Five guarding the paddle boats. Any others aren't visible or are off somewhere else." She reported, handing the telescope back to No-Name.

"Alright, we're going to try and avoid confrontation for now. If we do this just right, we may be able to get the drop on Alvin before anyone even realizes what's happened." Eret told them, and there were several nods of understanding. "We'll enter the forest here and travel at an angle. That way we'll meet up with Alvin's trail deeper in the woods, and we won't have to worry about our friends on the sand. Ug, Teeny, you two stay here with Meatlug and Barf-and-Belch. Send a signal if you see Cat or Alvin. The rest of us will go after the Treasure Hunting Party."

"Aye-Aye, Captain." Was murmured across the gathered men as they all buzzed with a nervous energy. None of them were too excited about trampling around on a dragon-dominated island when their dragon expert was who-knows-where, but they were all determined to get their little dragon expert back.

Within fifteen minutes, Teeny and Ug had taken up their posts with Meatlug and Barf-and-Belch while the rest of them quietly made their way into the forest, keeping low and watching for any footprints or path markers Alvin and his men might have left behind.

The island was humid and soundless. Completely devoid of any wildlife as far as Talia could tell. The shade of the trees did little to protect them from the heat, causing them to sweat, and she found herself hoping that the sea water would be enough to mask their scents from these horrific creatures Cat had described.

It was fairly easy to track down the trail of footprints leading off into the forest. Alvin and his men had apparently spread out among the trees to sweep the area, and they didn't bother trying to hide their tracks. After following the tracks for a little while, Eret signaled everyone to stop and draw in, gathering them into a group.

"We'll use the trees here to stage an ambush. Four men in the trees, the rest of us will hide in the underbrush." Eret explained, pointing to different spots in the trees and several hiding places on the ground. "But we'll need someone to scout ahead, and to lure Alvin and his men into the trap."

Talia joined the men as they all turned to look at Humongous. The Fraud gulped audibly, his teeth chattering and his hands shaking as he looked back at them in anxiety-ridden terror. Eret sighed, gaining their attention once again.

"As much as I would like to agree to that; we can't trust him. Humongous could turn on us and give us away to Alvin in exchange for a free ride out of here. He stays here, one of us has to go." Eret informed them, and Talia frowned at the sound logic Eret had provided.

"Well, if we can't send Humongous, who will we send?" No-Name asked, and everyone turned to look at him thoughtfully. No-Name seemed to catch on after a long moment of silence, and he too, gulped audibly. "Oh."

Talia fell into place with the rest of the men and Humongous right after No-Name went off into the forest. While four of their men clambered up into the tree positions, Talia set herself behind a large rock along with Eret who was still keeping an eye on Humongous. Talia really didn't blame the Captains caution. Humongous looked like he wanted to run back to the beach screaming and crying, and they hadn't even seen anything yet.

"How well do you think this'll work?" Talia wanted to know, keeping her voice down as she kept her eyes on the trees.

"Honestly? Not the worst odds I've ever had, but definitely not the best. I suppose we'll just have to wait and see how everything plays out." Eret replied, offering her a smile despite the negative chances they had of making it out of there in one piece.

They all watched the trees, their nerves on edge and their weapons prepped at their sides as they waited for No-Name's signal... And waited... And Waited. As time wore on, Talia could feel the wavering energy of the men and she, herself, was shifting in her crouched position, beginning to feel uncomfortable from staying in place for too long. Eret's brow furrowed as he scowled at the empty expanse of trees before them, and it didn't take a genius to figure out that No-Name was taking way too much time to lure Alvin and his men out to their ambush. That left them with two possibilities; either No-Name had ran into some trouble and was on his way so getting out of position to check on him would do more harm than good, or he'd been captured and possibly killed and Alvin and his men were now aware of their presence on the island.

Neither option was extremely appealing at that moment.

Just as Eret opened his mouth to mutter something close to Talia's ear, a flicker of movement rustled through the undergrowth. Everyone stiffened, ready for the surprise attack, when No-Name came running towards them for all he was worth, panting, sweating, and stumbling as he raced through the forest.

"RUUUUUNNNNNNNNNNN!" He shrieked, shooting passed all of them and heading towards the beach. They all stared after him, confused, and then looked out towards the trees again. Alvin's men were spread out through the trees, running towards them much like No-Name had. Their weapons were drawn, but they didn't seem to care much about the crew of the BlueBlazer. Talia would even wager that half of them didn't even notice them.

And then she saw it. A man screamed, falling forward and disappearing into the thick underbrush. Snuffling sounds and heavy rustling surrounded where the man had fallen, and an icy chill raced down Talia's spine.

Some of Alvin's men started to race passed them, not even giving them a second glance as snuffling, growling sounds filled the air. Stormfly and Hookfang poked out of their hiding places, looking around with wide, terrified eyes. Stormfly gave a pitched squawk and jumped into the air, flying up and away from the forest floor. Hookfang gave a roar at the rustling shrubbery that was getting closer and closer to them, before following Stormfly's example and flying up into the safety of the sky.

Eret and Talia looked at each other, eyes wide.

"RETREAT!" Eret shouted as they all burst into sprints, racing through the forest. "GET BACK TO THE SHIP!"

* * *

The fine, cool sand beneath his bare feet was soft, and his fingers skimmed along the rough stone walls of the narrow pathway as he walked. Toothless could barely fit through the passage, having to wriggle and squeeze through tight spots while Hiccup and Sharpshot slipped through with ease.

The pale blue light they'd started following always seemed just out of reach, constantly drifting away from them as they moved farther and farther along the path, traveling deeper and deeper under the surface. Hiccup didn't stop once, though, and Toothless and Sharpshot followed close behind him, remaining silent as Hiccup chased after the mysterious glow.

After what felt like hours of weaving and walking along the narrow path, the pale light finally stayed shining at the end of the tunnel. Hiccup quickened his pace a little, reaching the end and peering into a giant underground cavern. Pools of water littered the ground, smelling of salt water and no doubt leading out to the ocean. Piles and piles and piles of gold shimmered in the natural light of the cavern that came from nowhere and yet everywhere at once. Endless gold pieces, gold chalices and goblets, diamonds and rubies, precious gems and stones, fine weapons and elegant jewelry. The greatest treasure one could ever lay eyes upon. It was all piled up on top of itself in crazy giant mountains. Mound after mound of glittering treasure.

"The Lost Treasure of Grimbeard the Ghastly." Hiccup breathed, eyes wide with awe and wonder as he slowly wandered farther into the hidden cavern.

 _"This is where the riddle ends, I suppose. We've found deaths head, I sniffed your trail to follow you here, and now here we are; underground."_ Toothless mused thoughtfully, lumbering up beside Hiccup as he stared at all of the glimmering treasure. _"You must be Grimbeard's True Heir, then."_

"How on earth can all of this be for me?" Hiccup asked, standing in the midst of endless riches.

"Grimbeard left his treasure here because I told him to."

Hiccup, Toothless, and Sharpshot all jumped in fright at the sudden voice and whirled around to look for the source. The soothing, wispy voice belonged to a being of utter beauty. She was light and smoke, gently formed in the image of a seven foot tall woman, clothed in flowing gowns of wisping clouds and breezes. Her hair cascading down her back in tumbling curls of smoke, and her eyes were completely white with the light that radiated from her. She floated at the top a small dais at the back of the cavern, broken and cracked with time and buried beneath Grimbeard's fortune. The air around her whispered and sang, as Wisps floated all about her.

"You're the Queen of the Wisps." Hiccup whispered, slowly falling down to his knees before the magnificent being. Toothless and Sharpshot stayed back, bowing their heads while keeping their eyes on Hiccup and the woman. "Lady Fate."

The Queen of the Will o' the Wisps, better known as Lady Fate, was a being difficult to describe. To some she was a spirit with great power, to others she was a goddess. The only thing that every creature could agree upon was that she only revealed herself to the Greatest of Seers. Her most trusted children, to whom she gave prophecies and visions of the future. She lead those gifted in her craft, showing them only what is necessary. Her faithful Wisps guided people to their fate. And she knew the Destiny of every living creature.

But Hiccup was no Seer, yet there she stood before him. And she smiled, softly.

"Hello, Little Prince." Her gentle, calming voice washed over Hiccup like water from a stream. "You have come very far, but a long and dangerous path lays ahead of you."

"What do you mean?" Hiccup questioned desperately, leaning forward onto his palms as he kept his full attention fixed on Fate, herself. "Please, I just want to learn how to control what's inside me."

"Precious Child, your Destiny is so much more than you realize." Lady Fate replied, her gaze fond and patient. "You are the Heir to more than just these simple treasures of man. You are Destined for great things -"

"But what if I don't want to be?!" Hiccup cried, interrupting the Lady Fate, who paused as her smile fell into a curious line. "I never wanted to be anything special!" Hiccup continued as hot, frustrated tears bubbled down his cheeks. "I just wanted to be good enough! For my tribe! My Dad!... My friends..." Hiccup's voice cracked and broke as more tears poured down his cheeks and his breath caught in his throat. Toothless crooned worriedly, but stayed where he was. Hiccup sniffled and looked up after catching his breath only a little. "Why am I always losing the people that I love?..."

Lady Fate looked at him with a deep sadness and sympathy.

"Sometimes even the Greatest Love has to end, so your Destiny can Begin." Her voice was hushed, but clearly heard in the quiet of the cavern. Hiccup watched her for a moment, hoping, praying, that she would say more, but then bowed his head as choked sobs racked his shoulders. "Wandering Child, I have waited many years for you to come for your inheritance because I know where your journey will lead you, and I pray you never lose the goodness in your Heart. But did you not set out on this voyage to discover what you are? Who you are to become?"

"Well, yes, but I need to know. If I don't, I'll never learn how to control the magic inside me. I'll just keep hurting people, no matter how hard I try not to..." Hiccup admitted, swiping at his eyes with his torn and dirty sleeve before looking up at the Great Lady. "But that's not what this is about, is it?"

"I believe you know your Destiny more than you are willing to admit." Lady Fate returned quietly, but firmly. Hiccup hung his head once more, sitting back on his heels and letting his hands fall into his lap.

"I never wanted any of this." Hiccup murmured, his eyes dry and itchy while his cheeks were damp and puffy. "I just wanted to fit in. To be _Normal_."

"It is understandable. You have walked this path since your birth, and many have tried, and many will continue to try, to tell you you're wrong. But you are the dawn of a new day that is slowly waking." She told him, her gentle glow shimmering against the piles of gold. "One day you will look back and realize the doubt that you feel now, as you try to figure everything out, is not what life is about. This world will never stop trying to define you, but it can not take what is inside you."

"How can I face the whole world when I'm still searching for who I am?" Hiccup asked softly, feeling small and rather hopeless.

"You are a masterpiece still in the making, dear one. What you're searching for does not lay somewhere out there, it is inside your own heart, and, in time, you will find it." Lady Fate comforted him. "For now, be assured that you are right where you need to be, and soon you will find your own way."

A quiet rumble, followed by a small tremor in the ground and dust falling from the ceiling of the cave, caused Hiccup, Toothless, and Sharpshot to look up and around warily. Lady Fate tilted her eyes upwards, still as calm and serene as when they'd first entered, and then she looked back down at Hiccup.

"Alvin the Treacherous has caused a great disruption on the island. Removing the sword from the chest has awakened the ancient guardian left here by Grimbeard the Ghastly to protect the treasure." She informed him. "I fear he has endangered your companions who have come here to save you."

"What?" Hiccup gasped, his mind flashing from Eret to Talia to the rest of the crew in only a few seconds. "I have to go! I have to help them!" He said, shooting onto his feet.

"You need not my permission, young Prince. But go with the knowledge that this treasure belongs solely to you, and you may always return for it." The Queen of the Wisps smiled softly and moved to the side of the dais, revealing a throne carved in the traditional Viking fashion. A high back topped with two posts and a decorative head in the middle. Runes and designs were carved into the front posts and sides of the wooden throne, a simple but powerful throne. Resting on the seat was an old blade, simple and plain, slightly rusted from the salt air.

Hiccup ran forward, leaping over the three small steps leading up to the dais, and grabbed the sword with his left hand. He looked down at his right arm, cradled against his side, and frowned. It was stupid to go running into battle with a dislocated arm, but he couldn't see where he had much of a choice. The bleeding from the cut on his chest had stopped, and his right shoulder had faded to a dull ache. He'd just have to make due and hope to survive.

"Thank you." He murmured, turning to look at Lady Fate once again, but when he turned around she was already gone. He, Toothless, and Sharpshot were alone in the cavern.

* * *

Branches and twigs whipped and snapped against her arms and legs. The wind rushed passed her as she raced through the forest, running as fast as she could. Her heart was pounding, sweat was beading on her forehead, and lungs burned.

Talia burst through the treeline along with the rest of her crewmates and Alvin's men, the sand slowing her pace despite her best efforts to keep going. The men were diving into the few paddle boats available and jumping into the sea to try and swim away. Talia was only half way down the sand when she felt one of the snuffling creatures behind her lunge at her leg. She yelped and twisted, and the extra long claw of a Skullion missed her Achilles, biting into had mid-calf instead.

With a cry of terror, Talia lost balance as pain shot up and down her leg. She fell hard into the sand on her side, and instantly there were two Skullions upon her. Without thinking her fist flew out and caught one of the dragons in the snout, making it yelp and back away as she kicked the other one in the forehead, pushing herself backwards with her hands.

The Skullions growled, recollecting themselves, and Talia took that one second to glance behind her. She saw an old, hollowed tree trunk sticking out of the sand a few feet behind her, and quickly scrambled over to it on her hands and knees. She slipped into the hollowed trunk just in the nick of time as vicious fangs snapped the air where her foot had been just before she yanked it into the tree.

The Skullion was too large to fit through the hole in the trunk and follow her, but it pushed it's giant, quivering nose through the gap, and it started to gnaw at the wood around the hole. Talia grabbed a bone lying on the ground next to her and shoved it as hard as she could up one enormous nostril.

The Skullion fell back with a howl of anguish, and Talia sighed in relief through her ragged breath. Then there was a sickening crash to her right as another Skullion started clawing at the tree... And then another... And another... Talia could hear horrible scratchings as they worried away with their teeth, trying to break through the wood. All around her, at the edges of the tree trunk, he could hear the scrabbling sound of creatures digging through the sand and biting at old, brittle bark. It was only a question of time before one of them broke through.

Talia swiped at another nose that appeared at the hole, the impact breaking the bone she'd armed herself with. The snap of the bone was followed by a smash as a Skullion's extra long claw pierced through the wood from behind Talia, just to the right of her head. Talia jumped and screamed as she tried to scrabble away, unsure of which hole to watch.

There was another crash that came from above her head, but before she could react a large hand reached down and grabbed her upper arm, pulling her up to the top of the hollowed tree. Talia gasped and looked up as Eret set her on the opposite edge of the ring that was the top of the tree.

"Come on, kid! We've got to get out of here!" He asked, raising his voice over the sounds of the Skullions growling, snuffling, and clawing. Talia could only stare up at him, still in shock as her heart raced in her chest. Eret was looking down at the horde of Skullions surrounding the tree, probably formulating some kind of escape, but when Talia didn't say anything he looked up, his eyes flashing with worry and sternness. "Talia!?" He said a little loud, still holding onto both of her biceps.

"You- You came back for me?" Talia stuttered out, unable to hide her utter astonishment.

"Of course I did!" Eret replied, offering her a half-smile. "I'd never leave you or Cat behind." A crash cut through the pause in action, wobbling the tree as the Skullions snarled and snapped. Eret held tight to Talia's arms, keeping them both steady until the tree stopped wobbling and then continued. "But if we want any hope of finding Cat, we're gonna have to save ourselves first! Are you ready?"

"No!" Talia replied immediately.

"Me neither!" Eret agreed, but they leaned all of their weight towards the ocean anyways. There were two cracks and a pop as the tree tilted and broke, suspended in the air for a moment as it fell towards the sand. "JUMP!"

Skullions rushed to get out of the way of the log, and Eret and Talia leaped off, lunging as far out on the sand as they possibly could. They hit the sand running, only stumbling a little, and they raced for the ocean with the countless pack of Skullions on their heels.

Sand turned to stone as they ran, reaching an underwater cove that didn't exist when the tide was out. The snuffling and the scraping of claws against stone had them pounding across the slippery rock despite the exhaustion in their muscles and the burning of their lungs. Talia could feel the Skullions snapping at her feet as she and Eret finally reached the end of the rock, throwing themselves off of the barely-above-the-water stone slab and into the icy waves. The Skullions pushed and piled at the very edge of the shore, snuffling out after them as Talia and Eret resurfaced after their dive into the water.

"We did it!" Talia exclaimed, her hair hanging limp from the soaking even in it's braid. "We're alive!"

Eret laughed and nodded. "We'd better start swimming. No use saving ourselves from the Skullions if we just stay here and drown!"

Talia nodded in agreement and followed Eret as they started swimming out to sea, in the general direction of where they'd hidden the BlueBlazer, but before they got very far the shadow of a ship much longer, they climbed the ladder. They were hauled onto the ship by a couple of their own crewmates, including No-Name, and they collapsed to the deck, soaked and exhausted, as they tried to catch their breath.

But when Talia looked over at Eret, her smile instantly dropped into a frown. Eret had braced himself on one knee, glaring daggers up at Alvin the Treacherous and his men. The villains held their swords, axes, and bows pointed directly at Talia, Eret, and the rest of the crew of the BlueBlazer.

"Welcome aboard, maties!" Alvin grinned maliciously.


	11. Alone Together

**Music:** "Alone Together" - Fall Out Boy

 _NOTES:_ "My Heart is like a stallion, They love it More when it's Broken..."

**Chapter 11: Alone Together**

The sun glared down at the dark-colored ship and the crowd of pirates standing on it's deck. Alvin's men were crowing and jeering at Talia as they held the rest of the BlueBlazer's crew and Humongous at sword-point. Alvin and his first mate, Savage, sneered at her from the small opening in the railing of the ship, their feet planted firmly on the safety of the deck. Alvin's new, golden sword glittered in the sunlight as he pointed it at her lazily, a greasy grin settled on his face.

"A shame to get rid of such a pretty, young thing," Alvin said, his eyes glinting evilly and happily. "But my men are a bit unsatisfied by the outcome of this voyage and, well, I have to give them something fun to enjoy, otherwise there'd be mutiny! Killing all of you should make up for this disappointment."

Talia only scowled in return, and then looked down at the thin, wobbly plank, the waves crashing against the rocks, and the Skullions on the rocks that were snapping and snarling as her scent dangled above them. No matter where she jumped, she was dead.

"Get moving, girlie!" Savage jeered at her, shaking his sword at her despite her being out of his reach. Talia looked over at Eret who was snarling at the men holding him back. He looked up and they locked eyes, both helpless and without a clue of how to get out of this.

Alvin stomped down on the base of the plank and it wobbled, causing Talia to take a step forward to steady herself against the shaking. Alvin and his men laughed, but beneath all of the loud chortling Talia could hear a faint scratching noise.

She looked down and grinned.

"Enough of this." Alvin grumbled, and then raising his voice to shout at her. "Get on with it, already!"

Talia straightened, squared her shoulders, and then jumped off the plank. There were cheers of joy and shouts of terror as both crews watched her leap off of the plank, down towards the deadly waters and the vicious Skullions. Humongous let out a horrified shriek.

"Talia!" Eret screamed, wrestling against the grip of the two men holding him back. Alvin turned and smiled.

"Oh, don't worry, Eret! You'll be joining her soon enough!" Alvin assured grandly, walking over and leaning close to be nose-to-nose with Eret.

"You sick bastard!" Eret hissed. "I'm the Captain! I should have walked first!"

"But, lad! I consider myself an upright gentleman. Which means; Ladies First." Alvin cackled darkly and Eret growled low in his throat, glowering at the man.

"You're a monster!" Humongous told him in a fit of outrage. "Taking wicked pleasure in the deaths of good people!"

"Nothing I haven't heard before." Alvin replied to Humongous and then turned back to Eret again. "And with no more women on board, that makes it your turn! To the plank with you!"

Savage and the men holding him started pulling and shoving Eret towards the plank. The Captain of the BlueBlazer wouldn't go without a fight, nailing several punches and well-placed elbows in the scuffle. They were standing by the railing at the base of the plank when all of the men holding him froze and a shadow came over them. Eret glanced at the men and then looked up into the face of Hookfang.

Talia was clinging to the spikes on the Monstrous Nightmare's back, and Hookfang growled at the Hammerhead pirates. Stormfly dropped down from above suddenly, landing on the railing with her spines sticking out and squawking at the men as they stumbled away in terror. More growls and a wobbly exclamation brought everyone's attention to the opposite side of the ship where they found Ug sitting on Meatlug's back, and Barf-and-Belch; Barf carried Teeny by the scruff of his fur-lined hood as Belch growled and sparked at anyone standing too close.

"DRAGON ATTACK!" One of the Hammerhead pirates finally managed to break from their stuttering stupor, and the others quickly followed screaming and breaking into chaos.

Eret took the opportunity to knock out one of the men holding him and grabbed the sword from his belt, armed and ready to fight. Talia leaped from Hookfang's neck, taking the man on Eret's other side and stealing his sword as well. When they straightened, Talia grinned a Eret.

"Figured I owed you for saving me earlier." She said to him. "Now we're even."

Eret chuckled, but bowed his head in a silent, respectful thanks. With that, the two warriors turned to the riot raging before them and lunged into battle with furious battle cries and their swords raised high.

The BlueBlazer pirates and Humongous hadn't stopped for a moment either, each of them scrambling for weapons the second the Hammerhead pirates started to panic. Now the two opposing sides warred against each other on the deck of the Hammerhead. The dragons were biting, clawing, and roaring at any nearby enemies. Stormfly occasionally flicked some spines across the ship, but none of them dared to use their fire while the BlueBlazer pirates were still on board.

They battled with axes and swords, with their bare hands in fists. Weapons, limbs, and angry yells were thrown back and forth all across the deck, barrels were kicked over and around into peoples legs, and everyone was constantly tripping or falling from the little space left with so many people on the ship. Not a single one of them was willing to admit defeat. The pirates of the Hammerhead were fighting for their pride and dominance of the sea while the pirates of the BlueBlazer were fighting for their freedom and their lives.

They fought furiously, relentlessly, and no one seemed to notice as the waves below the ship became bigger, angrier. The Skullions shifted nervously, backing away from the shore and the edge of the rock face, snuffling and whining.

Several large, white ropes slowly emerged from the water, reaching up the sides of the ship in slow motion. The ship rocked vigorously for a moment and then stopped, causing a pause in the battle as everyone struggled to keep their balance. The dragons, more aware after being snapped from their focus on the battle, perked up and then noticed the ropes surrounding and ensnaring the ship in their tangledness.

Stormfly gave a loud, alarmingly squawk, and Talia stopped to look over. The dragons were fluttering and antsy, looking all around themselves as they peered over the sides of the ship. Talia squinted at them, wondering what on earth had managed to distract them from the angry pirates with axes and swords yelling at them. It couldn't possibly be the Skullions, they were stuck on the island... And then she saw the white, quivering piece of fat curling up and over the ship's railing. It was dotted with small indentations out of which there oozed a disgusting whitey-grey sticky sludge that left Talia feeling like she might gag.

Whirling around, Talia raced to the closest edge of the ship and looked over the side. She found slimy tentacles tangling around each other as they inched up all around the ship.  
"SEA MONSTER!" She yelled out, trying to warn her friends away from the edges of the ship. "The ship is under attack!"

Before anyone even stopped to listen to her, the ship gave another giant rock and everyone was thrown to one side. Talia managed to catch herself against the railing next to her, but most of the men were caught in the middle of the fray and thrown to the floor. As the ship evened out after leaning away from a gigantic bulge in the sea, the monster's head straight out in front of the two crews worth of pirates.

It's snout was long, it's mouth huge as it reached all the way back to behind it's furious yellow eyes. Two horns stuck out of it's head, each of them at least six feet long, and it's narrow, pointed nostrils flared as it glared down at all of them. It's body was similar to that of an octopus, except it wasn't limited to only eight tentacles, no, this beast had thirty-five by Talia's count, and it's head was the sickly green of seaweed while it's body faded in color until it's tentacles were white.

The beast gave a hideous hiss and one of it's tentacles swung across the deck. The dragons took flight and weaved about the creature, trying to avoid it's ugly tentacles while the humans screamed and ducked to avoid the limb that passed over their heads, but two of Alvin's men weren't fast enough and were sent flying off of the ship by about ten feet.

Tentacles began to snake and crawl their way across the deck, leaving behind trails of slime as they searched for their victims. Screams and shouts filled the air as everyone started trying to run away from the tentacles or fight them off with their various weapons. A couple of men decided to try throwing barrels at the tentacles, but nothing would stop them.

Talia back pedaled as one came straight for her, and she managed to kick it away enough so she could scramble back into a grouping of her crewmates who were standing back-to-back in order to defend each other.

"W-what is that thing?!" Teeny questioned, his voice and hands shaking as panic overwhelmed him.

"I don't know! It's looks like it could be some kind of a dragon, but Cat would be the one to ask about that!" Talia replied, feeling just as panicked as Teeny sounded, but also unwilling to admit it to herself. She firmly reminded herself that panicking wouldn't help anyone and she had to stay calm and functional for this fight.

"The dragons look terrified!" Ug commented, pointing up at the flying creatures with his axe. The dragons didn't even seem to notice them standing down there, flying about in a frenzy and roaring out at each other and the beast in utter chaos and confusion.

A couple of Alvin's men aimed their crossbows at the beast and shot at it, but the arrows did nothing. Only sticking into some of the beast's fat and then sliding off with the slimy ooze. The beast roared at them in return and the men ran away screaming from a tentacle that chased after them.

Talia looked up at the beast, keeping low behind the cover of the stairs and some barrels with her crewmates. The sea monster's eyes darted along the ship, squinting closely at each of the wriggling, scrambling humans. Searching for something. The beast was looking for something. What it was looking for, Talia had no clue, but she was certain it wasn't attacking randomly. This beast was strategically searching the ship.

Just as she thought it, Alvin the Treacherous gave a tremendous yell of battle and everyone looked over at him. He was swinging his grandly decorated new sword that he'd taken from the island, the Stormblade, and he was slicing and cutting and lunging at three different tentacles that were yanking at his limbs and clothes, trying to wrap around him in a death grip.

A familiar roar came up from the trees on the island, and Talia's gaze shot to the Isle of the Skullions along with the rest of her crewmates. Birds flew out of the forest in the distance, squawking their alarms, and then a dark figure that Talia knew all too well burst out of the treeline and straight into the air.

Toothless flew about, weaving through tentacles and around the beast before arching out into an incredible loop-around. At the end of the loop around, Hiccup leaped from the saddle and caught a loose rope with both hands, his right should screaming in pain as he swung around the mast in a huge swing and then ended the swing by slamming both feet into Alvin's chest. Alvin went flying back about two feet, landing on his back, and Hiccup landed in a crouch on the deck before straightening up.

Toothless landed on the top of the main mast, nearly falling over the opposite side, but managed to sink his claws in and drag himself to a more steady position. He roared out at the sea beast, and the creature roared back. They went into a bit of back and forth, but the tentacles drew back from the ship a little, pulling back to hover above the surface of the water while Toothless continued to roar and grumble at the ocean dweller.

"That sword doesn't belong to you, Alvin!" Hiccup said, his right arm hanging limply at his side as he panted from the pain, but he kept his chin up as he addressed the pirate. "The Strangulator won't leave until the Stormblade is returned! You must give it back, or you'll all be killed!"

"Not on your life!" Alvin spat back as he climbed back onto his feet, towering over Hiccup even with the large space between them. "I found it, so it's rightfully mine! And what's your excuse, boy? Riding around on a dragon the likes of which I've never seen! You're a traitor! A demon!"

Hiccup flinched at the accusations, not entirely sure how, or if he even could, disagree and claim innocence. Shaking his head, Hiccup steeled himself. He knew he couldn't let Alvin kill them all with his greed. "Don't do this Alvin! It's not worth it!"

"Listen to him, Alvin!" Eret shouted from his place a few feet behind Hiccup. "Give up the sword!"

"Alvin, not that I would ever even think of being disloyal to you, but perhaps you should consider the situation," Savage suggested nervously, his eyes darting between Alvin and the Strangulator who was growling and flicking it's tentacles, ready to rip the ship apart. The only thing stopping it was the Night Fury on the main mast. "What do you say, Captain? Live to fight another day?"

"Quit your yapping!" Alvin snapped at Savage and then turned back to Hiccup. "You want it? Come and get it! I challenge you to a Duel! If you win, my crew will surrender and the sword is yours. If I win..." Alvin looked thoughtful for a moment and then grinned wickedly. "You'll become my slave. A slave that can figure riddles and ride on the back of a dragon! I'm sure you'll be very useful to me, and plenty entertaining!"

"This is madness!" Humongous cried, nearly pulling out fistfuls of his hair from where he cowered beside Eret. "You want to bargain when all of our lives are at risk!?"

"Shut up, you cowering land-dweller." Alvin drawled in a low growl, his eyes sliding over to Humongous and then back to Hiccup. "So what'll it be, _Cat_?" He sneered mockingly.

Hiccup's brow furrowed, and then he drew the sword he'd taken from the throne in the cavern from where he'd placed on his belt. He held the sword firmly in his left hand, his jaw set with determination, and his right arm throbbing with pain.

"A duel it is, then!" Alvin exclaimed, settling into his own stance as they stared each other down. Their respective crews gathered around, wanting to watch and fearful of the results.

"Be careful, Cat! Remember everything we've practiced!" Talia called out to him from off to the side, and Hiccup gave a small nod without taking his eyes off of Alvin. He knew he had almost no chance of winning. He was still fairly terrible at fighting, and with a dislocated shoulder, he was probably doomed. They all were. But he couldn't just give up. He had to at least try.

Alvin made the first move, rushing forward with a thundering roar of battle. Alvin gave a great swipe at Hiccup's belly, and Hiccup was surprised to find his left arm jerk up and his own sword block Alvin's in the nick of time.

Alvin was equally surprised and blinked for a second before shaking himself and hauling his great sword over his wicked head. He brought it down towards Hiccup's neck, and Hiccup's arm flashed up and parried the blow just before it bit.

Astonished, Alvin began raining blows thick and fast, swiping and slashing and lunging, and Hiccup's left arm parried every thrust as if he'd been practicing for years.

"Suffering swordfish," Talia muttered, her mouth slowly pulling into a wide grin as she exclaimed, "Cat is LEFT-HANDED!"

The fight was definitely not the greatest Talia had ever seen, most of Hiccup's moves were clumsy, defensive strokes. And while Alvin claimed to be the most deadly pirate on the seas, he was only so-so at the art of the sword. No doubt preferring to poison his enemy's cup or bash him from behind with a rock to fighting him face to face. But he was still much older, stronger, and more experienced than Hiccup, and while it wasn't the greatest fight, it was certainly something Talia and Hiccup could both take pride in.

For Hiccup, it was the first time in his life that he realized he was left-handed. Sure he drew and sketched left handed and worked with the tools in the forge with his left hand, but everything important, such as writing and fighting, had always been taught to him with a dominant right hand. The clumsiness of it had been excruciating; always falling over, always stumbling, always the last at everything. It all changed in that moment as Hiccup fought with his left-hand for the first time. It was so exhilarating that he was even starting to enjoy himself.

Nonetheless, it was soon clear that, although Hiccup was enjoying himself, he wasn't winning the fight even with his left-hand. With a vicious smile on his lips, Alvin the Treacherous fought Hiccup back and back, eyes aglow with greed and blood-lust.

"Come on, Cat." Alvin wheedled, "Don't be afraid of your ol' pal, Treacherous. I wouldn't harm a hair," Swipe! "On your head." Swipe!

"Listen, Alvin," Hiccup urged as he parried each blow, "We still have a chance for all of us to leave here safely if your forget about the treasure and give back the sword!"

"Or I can keep the sword and put a Slavemark on your head!" Alvin cackled with a particularly violent lunge that Hiccup just managed to dodge, but lost his balance doing so and fell hard on his back.

Alvin grinned down at him cruelly and raised his sword way above his head as Hiccup stared up at him, wide-eyed. Alvin brought the sword down with such savage force that it would have cut Hiccup in half, but he'd spotted it coming and quickly rolled out of the way. The Stormblade embedded itself into the wood of the deck, entirely stuck, and Hiccup leaped at the chance, throwing his foot out at Alvin's knee.

With a snap and a cry of pain, Alvin fell to one knee, his big hands holding onto the leg Hiccup kicked. Hiccup scrambled to his feet, stepping between Alvin and the Stormblade and using both hands to level his sword at Alvin's throat.

Alvin chuckled darkly, looking up at Hiccup from underneath his large eyebrows, his mouth twisted into a terrifying grin. "You're not going to win this fight." His voice was deep and gravely. "You don't have the guts to finish it."

"You're right." Hiccup shrugged, agreeing easily, and Alvin stuttered in shock. "I have no interest in killing anyone." Hiccup told him simply. "But this needs to end."

Hiccup brought his sword up across his torso and then slammed the butt of his sword against Alvin's temple. The Captain of the Hammerhead crumpled to the ground like a sack of potatoes as Hiccup stood there, slightly out of breath.

"Eret, he just beat Alvin." No-Name was the first to speak up from the stunned silence. Eret was smiling and only nodded once in confirmation to No-Name. Talia looked positively ecstatic, probably thinking of all the training they'd have to do now that they knew Hiccup was left-handed.

The members of the BlueBlazer's crew seemed to breathe a sigh of relief and relax a little as they gave cheers to Hiccup's victory while Savage and the rest of Alvin's men shifted anxiously from foot to foot, unsure of how to proceed.

Hiccup didn't pay much attention to any of it. He turned and grabbed the Stormblade. It took four good tugs to finally yank the sword loose of the wood, and then he walked over to the very edge of the ship closest to the Strangulator who bowed his head to be level with Hiccup.

 _"Thank you for protecting my Great-Great-Grandfather's treasure."_ Hiccup said to the Strangulator. _"You can take the Stormblade back to where it belongs now."_

 _"Asssssss You Wisssshhhhhh..."_ The Strangulator hissed in an ancient dialect. One of his tentacles reached up and gently plucked the Stormblade from Hiccup's outstretched hands. Hiccup opened his left palm for the Strangulator, and the giant beast carefully leaned forward to touch the tip of his nose to Hiccup's palm.

 _"Take care of yourself!"_ Hiccup waved him off as he pulled away, smiling a big sea dragon smile. _"I'll come back to see you again some day!"_ Hiccup promised with a smile of his own, and then the Strangulator let out a happy roar, falling into the waves and under the surface of the water, making the water lap up on the shore and the ship rock back and forth.

After the waves settled with only some white foam acting as any evidence that the Strangulator had been there at all, Hiccup nodded in satisfaction and turned back towards the ship. Toothless leaped down from the main mast just in front of him, and Hiccup walked forward to greet him with a scratch behind the ear. Toothless purred as Hiccup looked up at the others; Alvin's men were too busy nervously watching the dragons to attack them, and Sharpshot had joined the other dragons in herding them towards a corner, settling on top of Meatlug's head and squeaking at the crowd of pirates. The BlueBlazer pirates moved aside to make room and to make their way over to him and Toothless.

"You did it!" Talia said, throwing an arm around Hiccup's neck and pulling him in for a half-hug, which he returned.

"Way to go, kid!" Teeny cheered as the rest of the crew clapped and whooped, slapping Hiccup on the back and ruffling his hair in their excitement.

"You really had us worried for a while there." No-Name informed him.

"Sorry about that. It seemed like a good idea at the time." Hiccup shrugged with a laughing weakly, and his crewmates chuckled heartily.

"It's good to have you back, kid." Eret's hand gripped his shoulder, and Hiccup looked up at the Captain with a smile. "Now we just need to decide what to do with the Hammerhead and her crew."

They all turned to look at Alvin's men, surrounded and cornered by the dragons, and grinned.

* * *

Within an hour they'd stripped the sails of the Hammerhead, tearing and shredding until it matched the BlueBlazer. Hiccup and Toothless gathered Hookfang, and they went to collect the BlueBlazer, bringing it side to side with the larger ship so that their crew could return to their own vessel.

Hiccup and the dragons worked together to bring both ships back out to sea, passed all of the sea stacks and the fog that surrounded the Isle of the Skullions. After they were certain that the Hammerhead pirates were stranded out at sea, incapable of causing any more trouble, they returned to their own ship settled just about a mile away.

When Hiccup and Toothless landed on the deck with the other dragons close behind, everyone started to applaud, happy to finally see the end of the Isle of the Skullions adventure. Hiccup was welcomed back with more slaps on the back and ruffled hair, and he couldn't help raising an eyebrow at Eret, wondering what all the fuss was about.

"This calls for a celebration!" No-Name whooped, swinging his bottle of rum into the air as the crew had broken out the reserves and were indulging in some sunset drinking.

"I guess it has been an awfully long day, but isn't this a bit excessive?" Hiccup asked with a chuckle, absently scratching Toothless's chin.

"Not at all! You beat Alvin at a duel, fair and square!" Ug told him as if that explained everything, but Hiccup only wrinkled his nose, still confused.

"I was just trying to get the Stormblade back. It wasn't a big deal... Was it?" Hiccup turned questioningly to Talia and Eret.

"Well, it was an incredible fight, and now we know that you're left-handed! I'll bet your training will go much faster now that you'll be using your dominant hand." Talia pointed out with an agreeable tilt of her head and single shoulder shrug.

"Yes! Your duel with Alvin was quite something! With a little more practice you might just be able to handle going on regular adventures with me!" Humongous praised him. Hiccup just stared back at him dryly, and Toothless growled.

"You're a Fraud and you didn't do anything!" Talia shouted at him, causing the 'Hero' to flinch and cower away from the girl.

Eret chuckled and shook his head at them, letting his crossed arms fall until his hands rested on his hips. "The duel was important, but not just because it was a good fight."

"What do you mean?" Hiccup asked, sharing a glance with Toothless before they both looked at Eret for further explanation.

"When a pirate wins a duel against a Pirate Lord, which Alvin just so happens to be one, that pirate than earns the title of Pirate Lord for himself. You defeated Captain Alvin, so that makes you 'Captain Cat'." Eret explained, bowing his head slightly in respect as Hiccup stared up at him with wide eyes.

"B -but I'm just barely a pirate! And I'm not even fifteen!" Hiccup exclaimed, shocked and confused.

"Doesn't matter much to us, those are our rules. And it doesn't change much of anything; you can still sail under my command if that's what you want. It's just now you have the title of Captain when you want it, and you have a place at the Brethren Court." Eret informed him. Hiccup wasn't entirely sure what that meant, but he decided not to push the subject much more.

"OH!" Talia's sudden shout caused both Hiccup and Eret to snap around to look at her and Toothless perked up curiously. She had a look of mixed expressions somewhere between horror and baffled. "Oh, No! No, no, no, no, no! You!" She looked at Eret, her eyes wide in utter shock. "That's why you let me win that duel!"

"Well, I did say that _I_ had nothing to gain from winning that match." Eret replied with a smug smile, and Talia seemed unable to decide what to do so she simply stared at him in open-mouthed indignation. "And anyways, most duels are to the death. You two were both unusual cases. But you're both also the youngest Pirate Lords in existence. So, Congratulations."

The crew cheered in agreement with their Captain, and Eret grinned at them. Hiccup felt rather indifferent about the whole thing, not really seeing how it made any difference, so he just smiled and felt happy that his friends had something to celebrate. Talia still looked a little uncertain, and Hiccup could understand why, what with her past and her family tree and all, but after a little while she seemed to relax a bit and even managed quite a bit of smiling at the crew's silly antics as they sang and dance and drank through the night.

The next morning saw them gathered around the railing of the ship, seeing Humongous off on one of the spare paddle boats. Eret didn't seem to care about losing one of his smaller boats, so long as it got Humongous off of his ship.

"I thank you all for your help in this grand adventure, and I am saddened that we already must part ways! I wish you all the best of luck, and may our paths cross again some day!" Humongous spoke out to the crew with grandeur. Talia rolled her eyes and Hiccup sighed and Eret muttered something that sounded suspiciously like 'never again'.

When Humongous had finally finished his speeches and goodbyes and was on his way into the distance with the small paddle boat, Eret, Talia, Hiccup, and Toothless all stood at the railing, watching Humongous's form fade to a small dot on the horizon.

"This is why you should never trust the Daily Prophet. Fraud's like him become famous and legendary for doing absolutely nothing." Talia huffed in annoyance, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Can't say I disagree, but at least it's all finished and done with now." Eret sighed in relief. "We all came out in one piece, and we don't ever need to see Humongous again."

"...Hm? What have you got there, Cat?" Talia asked, noticing Hiccup as he fiddled with the old sword he'd taken from Grimbeard's cavern.

"It's a sword that was hidden in the cavern with the Real Treasure of Grimbeard the Ghastly." Hiccup told, gaining stunned and curious looks from his friends as they turned to face him fully. "I couldn't help but notice a couple of seams and notches in the metal of the hilt that suggest there's some kind of mechanism in it -!" Just as the words left his mouth, the bottom of the hilt fell out along with a rolled piece of paper.

Hiccup looked up at Talia, Eret, and then Toothless before slowly picking up the paper and unrolling it. Talia knelt beside him, and Eret leaned over their heads, peering at the note. Toothless crooned curiously, and Hiccup started reading.

"Dear Heir," Hiccup read. "I have had a glorious Viking life. But now that I am an old, old man I find I am not so happy with my fifty years of rollicking and robbery, fighting and fresh air. I wonder if I might run things differently. This treasure, for instance, the Sagas will tell you that the stealing of it was my Most Magnificent Moment. But since then, it has been tearing my once-happy band of burglars apart with Greed and Lust For Power. We are just not ready to look after this treasure. So I have decided to get rid of it. I dream of a time in the future when men will be able to own such beautiful and dangerous things and use them wisely. I dream of an Heir who shall be a Great Swordfighter, a Man who talks with Beasts, a Champion of Champions, a King among Men... This Heir will come and he will find my treasure. I give it to him freely, all of it, and he shall know what to do with it. I wish you good luck and a nice strong wind. Signed, Grimbeard the Ghastly... P.S. I also leave to my True Heir this, my favorite sword. Because the Stormblade always lunged a little to the left, and the best is not always the most obvious. Yours, in the hope that you will make a better Leader than I was."

Hiccup lowered the paper to his lap and looked up at Talia and Eret again, feeling Toothless pressing into his back and side with a gentle purring. Talia and Eret exchanged shocked looks and then looks back at Hiccup.

"Maybe Grimbeard the Ghastly wasn't so bad after all..." Hiccup murmured thoughtfully, giving the letter another look.

"So..." Talia breathed. "That's that, then. You're the True Heir of Grimbeard the Ghastly."

"I suppose." Hiccup agreed weakly. "But I don't think I want the kind of responsibility that comes with that much treasure. I think it'd be best for everyone if we kept this our secret. Let the treasure rest right where it is until it's actually needed."

"Well, it's yours, and you're the only one who can get passed the Skullions and the Strangulator, so the decision is yours to make, Cat." Eret said, giving a nod to the letter as reference. "No one will learn of your treasure from us."

"Thank you." Hiccup sighed gratefully, and then looked back down at the letter. He rolled the parchment and tucked it back into the hilt of the sword, hidden from the rest of the world.

"And now that all of that is finished, we should start considering where to go next." Eret suggested. "Any ideas?"

Hiccup wasn't really sure how to answer that. Lately he felt as if he was on the road to Ruin, and he was starting at the end. One look at Talia told him she felt the same way, and he'd come to accept that they were both troubled souls, unsure of whether or not they'd ever go home.

But maybe that was what they needed. To be alone together; screaming from the top of their lungs and staying young forever.

"I haven't got a clue." Talia replied. "I'm cut off and completely thrown off my track. I barely I understand how I got here, let alone where we could go."

"You know, I'm starting to realize that my heart is like a stallion; people love it more when it's broken. And I know both of you didn't know where you were going anymore than I did. We still don't know, and I don't think I'm going home." Hiccup said, looking at both of them and giving Toothless's head a rub. "Let's be alone together, and just see what happens."

"...You know, I kinda like that idea." Talia murmured, smiling softly at him.

"On to the next adventure then?" Eret asked, offering them both a hand up. They grinned at him and took the offer. Eret pulled them up and they turned to look at the crew who were cleaning and making repairs after the events at the Isle of the Skullions.

"Alright, lads!" Eret shouted, gaining everyone's attention. "Let's get see how the mendings on the sails hold up, shall we? We're setting off!"


	12. A New Lead

_NOTES:_ When you've lost one Trail, it may be wise to pick up Another...

**Chapter 12: A New Lead**

The sun was shining as white, fluffy clouds floated across the blue sky, but the days was crisp and cool. A breeze chilled anyone who ventured outside to the bone, and the stone walls of the castle still seemed drearily grey. The gloomy grey of despair. Jack couldn't help but wonder if Hogwarts would ever again look like the bright and welcoming home he once knew.

His feet carried him down one of the open-air corridors, taking the extra long route to the Great Hall for Breakfast. He knew he was supposed to meet Merida and Rapunzel soon, but he'd woken up early and wanted some time to himself to think. He'd been doing that a lot lately, but no one commented on it.

There had been several more attacks on some small, in-land villages across the Northern Kingdoms. The descriptions were similar to the attacks from last year; no one could get a clear visual of what was attacking, but all the reports suggest Shadow Horses and Dark Figures. The Ministry and the Daily Prophet continued with their excuse of pirates, but the villages weren't easily accessed from the sea, and pirates usually made a lot more noise with their attacks. Nothing added up, and Jack was fairly certain he knew why, but it was disturbing nonetheless. They'd been at school for only six weeks now and already bad things were happening, both inside and out.

Jack had approached Merida about reporting her detention with Lady Tremaine twice more after that first time in the study lounge. Each time Merida told him that the Guardians couldn't be worrying about them, especially if they wanted to stay inconspicuous with their own investigations. He didn't like it, but he couldn't find a reasonable argument that would convince her.

The Guardians had been in and out of the castle for the past two weeks, ever since the attacks started. They often found themselves with substitutes, but only once did they cancel class entirely. Jack wasn't happy about being left out of everything, particularly because he could see that the other Guardians were distracted even when they were at Hogwarts and in their classes. He hadn't even seen North since their meeting at the very beginning of the year.

He was slowly pulled from his thoughts as he neared the Great Hall. The endless crowds of students milling about at breakfast, talking and eating and, in some cases, dozing off again. An ordinary morning at Hogwarts, but Jack felt anything but. He scanned the crowd until he spotted Merida and Rapunzel off to the side at the Gryffindor table and then quickly made his way over to them.

"Morning." He nodded to them. Merida nodded back, and Rapunzel offered a small smile.

"How are you feeling?" Rapunzel asked as Jack took the open seat next to her. Jack only shrugged and grabbed a blueberry muffin from the pile in front of him.

"As well as I can be." He replied, peeling back the wrapper. "It's been six weeks, and we haven't found anything useful at all."

"Maybe when we get the file from North's office we'll be able to find something we didn't notice before." Rapunzel suggested, keeping her voice low so no one would overhear, but also trying to remain hopeful.

"That's easier said than done." Merida replied. "The teachers have been patrolling up there at night. My guess is to make sure nobody tries anything while North is away."

Jack opened his mouth to respond, but before he could form any words the Great Hall was flooded with the sounds of flapping wings and screeching owls. Small packages, papers, letters, parcels, and other such mail started to fall from the sky as owls brought their owners the morning mail.

A flash of white flew among the browns, blacks, creams, and oranges, and Nix swooped low over the tables in search of her master. She found them within a quick glance and glided over, dropping a newspaper into Jack's hands and settling herself on the table between Jack and Rapunzel. Jack scratched behind Nix's ear before turning his attention to the paper, and Rapunzel started petting her and feeding her bits of bread.

"What?..." Jack breathed in disbelief as his eyes scanned over the big, block letters on the front of the paper over and over again.

"What is it?" Merida asked, looking at him with a proper amount of concern and dread.

Jack answer by pushing his plate out of the way and laying the paper out flat on the table so they could all read the headline. "Auror Detective, Mr. Samuel Arrow; Missing In Action." Jack read before looking down the parchment a little bit to read the article. "Mr. Arrow was last known to be deep in the forests of Gabylonia, investigating the strange appearance and death of a dragon known as a Monstrous Nightmare. After three days without contact, two more investigators were sent to ensure credibility in the case. The investigators reported finding nothing but Mr. Arrow's hat in a clearing with no other signs of life. Fellow Aurors are baffled by the disappearance, and with no leads or possible conclusions, they were forced to announce Mr. Arrow MIA as of eight days ago..."

"Mr. Arrow's gone? But how? He couldn't have just disappeared." Rapunzel said, drawing her hand to her chest which left Nix disappointed by the lack of scratches.

"This can't be coincidence." Jack told them, his fists clenching on top of the paper. "Mr. Arrow headed the investigation on Hiccup and Tadashi, and then he headed the investigation on that dragon. Not to mention he was the only one who seemed willing to help us continue looking into it all."

"Do you think he found something important, and someone didn't want him to tell anyone?" Rapunzel questioned, worried over the well-being of Mr. Arrow.

"I'd say almost definitely." Jack replied, folding the paper again and dropping it onto the table, off to the side, so he wouldn't have to look at it anymore.

"Either that, or he was getting close enough to ruffle feathers." Merida added, chewing on her thumbnail subconsciously as her brow furrowed with thought. "Whatever we're going to do, we'd best do it quick. North is gone and that means his office is empty. We don't want to miss this kind of an opportunity, especially if all this was really is connected." She continued, her half-eaten breakfast seemingly forgotten.

"You're right." Jack agreed. "We'll go tonight, after curfew. We'll meet in the hall outside North's office."

Merida and Rapunzel nodded, but Rapunzel was looking increasingly troubled. "I hope we can figure out why all of this is happening and put a stop to it." She said. "People are going missing and we have no idea how or why..."

Jack wished he could've offered some form of positive thinking, or even some kind of comfort, but he was having trouble looking on the bright side of things since the end of last year. As much as he wanted to believe they could figure things out just like they always did, a very small part of him kept whispering that one of the four most important parts of their team wasn't there anymore.

* * *

Curfew seemed to come much faster that night than usual. Flynn, Wilbur, and Mavis were in the common room when Jack headed out to meet with Rapunzel and Merida. He didn't worry about any of them seeing him leave. Wilbur and Mavis weren't snitches, and Flynn had his fair share of late night adventures.

Dodging Prefects and teachers were a lot easier after so many years of practice, and also the fact that Rapunzel knew the night patrol routes this year because she'd earned Prefect. She was assigned to the moving staircases and Great Hall tonight, which meant they had easy access to any floor they wanted, but would have to be on high alert anywhere else.

It took Jack about twenty minutes to make it from the dungeons up to the doorway of North's office. Merida was already there waiting for them, leaning against the wall with her arms crossed over her chest. She pushed off the wall when she saw Jack coming, and he nodded to her.

"Anyone come by yet?" Jack murmured, keeping his voice low.

"Not since I came up five minutes ago. Had to wait for Dr. Doppler to walk through before I could come out from behind the tapestry on the stairs. Good news is, I don't think he'll be back for fifteen minutes at least." Merida informed him, and he smiled lightly. That was pretty good news.

Rapunzel peeked around the corner at the end of the hall, and once she saw them she rounded the corner and walked over. "Sorry it took me so long." She apologized. "I had to finish my round at least once."

"It's alright. I just got here." Jack assured her. "But now that we're all here, we can get started." He stepped up to the Reindeer statue and whispered the password. The statue turned and started to rise, revealing stairs, and they all jumped on. Within a few minutes they'd passed the sitting room and were gathered in North's main office.

"I'll take the side room over there." Merida said, pointing to a door off to the right.

"I'll take this room." Rapunzel volunteered.

"Fine with me, I'll take the back room at the top of the stairs." Jack told them, and they split up to cover their designated areas.

Up the stairs at the back of the office, behind the globe with millions of little lights glowing on it's surface, was a slightly cluttered workshop. There were work tables filled with tools, pieces of wood, nails, screws, and toys. There was a built-in desk on one wall filled with chemistry beakers and bottles, a book on a small stand was left open, a small music box with one of those horns on top. There was a giant wardrobe, and next to it was a bookshelf bursting with books and scrolls. A desk stood under the window at the back wall, holding a large, impressive ice sculpture of a phoenix.

Jack veered to the left, heading for the built-in. He pulled open drawers and cupboards, and he shifted through papers as he went. He didn't find much paper, and what he did find were blueprints, designs, and diagrams for different toys and small structures. He gave up on the built-in, finding only more tools and more workshop supplies, and decided to move on the the desk by the window.

"Looking for something?" Jack jumped at the sudden voice and whirled to find the source, not even close to the desk. His eyes searched for a minute and eventually found the Sorting Hat set on the very top shelf of the bookshelf. "Normally my company is limited to North and the Yetis, occasionally one of the other Guardians, but I suppose you're not supposed to be here." The Hat drawled in his gravelly voice, and Jack gulped. "Bah!" The Hat gruffed. "Stop sweating. I won't say anything."

"Uh... Thanks." Jack relaxed a little at that, but still eyed the Hat curiously. "Do you always stay up here when you're not... you know, Sorting?" Jack asked.

"Most of the time. My residence sometimes changes when a new Headmaster comes along, but I usually stay somewhere within the rooms of this office." The Sorting Hat answered, sounding somewhat indifferent. "And what are you doing here, boy?"

"I'm looking for a file." Jack said, fidgeting nervously under the seemingly sightless eyes of the Sorting Hat.

"The file about the Haddock boy." The Hat stated more than asked, and Jack's eyes widened slightly. "You won't find that in here."

"Do you know where it is?" Jack questioned hopefully, taking a step towards the hat in his excitement.

"No." The Sorting Hat replied. "I haven't the first clue where North might keep that, only that it wouldn't be in here. But perhaps you have a more interesting question in mind? If not, I won't be of much help to you."

"Do you..." Jack stopped, stuttering because he wasn't sure what to ask, or how to ask. He'd only talked to the Sorting Hat once before. "You see into every students' mind when you're sorting them into their Houses, and I was just wondering..." Jack trailed off, biting his lip uncertainly.

"You were wondering what I saw when I Sorted the Haddock boy into Ravenclaw House." The Sorting Hat finished for him, and Jack could only nod quietly. "The boy was even more difficult to place than you other three. He was a Viking, and he didn't want to be placed in Ravenclaw. Wanted to prove himself. Though, I'd guess you already knew all that."

"Yeah, kind of..." Jack admitted, his gaze falling to the floor for a moment, but then he looked back up at the Sorting Hat. "But what else? What made Hiccup so hard to place? Why did you place him into Ravenclaw when he didn't want to be?"

"Potential." The Hat answered simply, and Jack's brow furrowed curiously. "There are things beyond my sight, boy, especially when those aware choose to hide their secrets away, but I saw potential. A lot of it. Normally, I do take into consideration the requests of the students, I don't always answer them, but I do keep it in mind when choosing a House. I chose to ignore Mr. Haddock's request for 'Anywhere but Ravenclaw'."

"Because of his potential?" Jack guessed.

"Yes." The Sorting Hat confirmed. "It is not my job to tell students what path to take, only to guide them to where their journeys should begin, the endings, regardless of where they started, would be the same. His future was his to decide, and Ravenclaw gave him the freedom to choose."

"And what did he choose? What happened to Hiccup?" Jack wanted to know.

"I haven't the foggiest. In case you haven't noticed, I've been in here." The Sorting Hat said dryly. "But I stand by my decision four years ago; Mr. Haddock did well in Ravenclaw."

"Jack!" Rapunzel's voice drifted up into the room from the bottom of the stairs, a light hiss to catch his attention. "Jack, I think I found it!"

Jack took a step towards the door, eager to see the file, but then looked back at the Sorting Hat. "Thank you." He said. "I'll think over everything that you've told me."

"Do what you wish, it isn't any of my business." The Sorting Hat smirked as best as any hat can, and then settled back into the shelf to go back to sleep.

Jack hurried from the workshop, finding Merida and Rapunzel waiting for him in front of the Globe in the main office. Rapunzel showed them the file, 'Haddock Case' neatly stamped onto the front of the file, and Jack nodded as Merida smiled. Knowing they'd found their newest lead, they rushed from the office, taking the file with them, but as they raced away from the scene of the crime, Jack couldn't stop thinking about his conversation with the Sorting Hat.


	13. The Snuggly Duckling

_NOTES:_ Part of the reason we Hold On to something so Tight, is because we fear that something So Great won't happen Twice.

**Chapter 13: The Snuggly Duckling**

They waited a full day after breaking into North's office before deciding to meet in their usual spot in the back of the library. A place none of them had visited since mid-last year. They figured it would be the best place to draw the least attention, especially considering the cause for their meeting.

Jack was the last to get there and found Rapunzel and Merida already waiting for him, standing awkwardly around the table. The armchair was picture-perfect, as if no one had sat in it in over a year, and the window seat cushions were fluffed and lined up neatly, a very fine layer of dust settled upon the space as a whole.

The empty feeling that seemed to permeate the entire castle was stronger here.

"I used to love this spot." Rapunzel murmured, hugging herself around the waist. "It was our place."

Merida stayed silent, but nodded, and Jack didn't know how to respond, so he didn't. After a quiet moment of regrets and unanswered questions, they moved closer together around the table and Rapunzel opened the file, laying it out for all of them to see.

There were pictures of the bathroom labeled under 'crime scene', and there were pictures of Tadashi's injuries while he was still being held in the hospital. There were hand written notes from Mr. Arrow and a copy of his final report. There was a paper meant for eye-witnesses, but the only name on it was Tadashi Hamada with a red stamp at the end of the dotted line declaring him 'UNRELIABLE'. The list of suspects was limited to Mr. Arrow's messy scrawl, listing a dragon and then names listed beneath that; Pitch Black, Gothel, Eris, and The Monkey King. Motives were listed after each name, suggesting Pitch Black and Gothel would have reason enough to want to target the school, and the other two were known generals of Pitch's army back during the Dark Ages which would make them suspects by association. There were two small, clear bags used to hold pieces of evidence; one was a switch of cloth that had been torn off of a larger piece of clothing by a branch in the woods, the other bag held chips of tree bark that were covered with blood on one side. Jack knew the tree bark had been taken for testing, but the results came back inconclusive. There was no way of telling whose blood it was.

"I don't understand." Merida said after skimming over Mr. Arrow's final report. "It's obvious that there's a lot missing here, Mr. Arrow even said in his report that the case isn't conclusive and, therefore, unfinished, but the Ministry shut down the investigation."

"We just don't have enough pieces to see the full picture yet." Jack agreed, looking down at one of the pictures of the bathroom. Shattered glass across the floor and a smear of blood. "Wherever this leads, I think the Ministry is too afraid to follow. We're going to have to be careful about keeping this to ourselves. If the Guardians or Lady Tremaine finds out, they'll try to stop us."

Rapunzel and Merida both nodded, and after that there wasn't much else to say or do. They agreed that Jack should take the file and put it with the rest of the clues he'd collected so far, and then they parted ways with the knowledge that they would meet up again at lunch after the first few periods of classes.

It was a few days later that the Slytherin dorm was pretty crowded in the evening hours before the dinner feast. During the week days no one had anywhere else better to be except maybe the library. Jack didn't care, though, because there was plenty of spaces for him to get away from everyone.

The Slytherin common was much more spacious than any of the other Houses, probably because they were in the dungeons with plenty of space while Gryffindor and Ravenclaw were at the top of small towers. Hufflepuff was fairly large as well, from what Jack had heard, but Slytherin just had too many hidden halls and corridors, like snake burrows forming tunnels through the underground.

Off the common room was a long, dark corridor with lots of small rooms branching off from it. One or two at the beginning of the hall were used for storage, but after that they were mostly empty rooms. Ghost stories and rumors said Salazar Slytherin would interrogate and torture prisoners in these rooms. It scared off the younger students, but Jack didn't believe in those old tales. They were just stories fabricated to scare first years.

It was a good thing, though. The rooms went unused, which meant Jack commandeering one for his personal investigation went almost entirely unnoticed. A small room with a table, a chair, and a large, blackboard sized pin-board was everything Jack needed, and now had.

Papers, a map, a compass, pencils, and a three spools of different colors twine were scattered across the table. The pin-board was sparse with only a few pieces to the puzzle pinned up and no twine to connect anything yet; pictures and notes from the case file they found were clumped together on one side, newspaper clippings about the attacks on villages and Mr. Arrow's disappearance were two separate groupings above that. On the other side of the board was the Ministry's version of everything that was happening, spelled out in newspaper articles and Jack's own notes.

Jack stood over the table, his hands pressed flat to the surface and his shoulders hunched as he leaned over. His eyes searched the papers before him endlessly, scanning for something he might have missed, something that would give him a new angle to work from. His brow was furrowed as much from concentration as it was from frustration over everything he found thus far going cold.

He honestly didn't know where else to look. There had to be something he was missing, a little detail that would send then off on a long string of clues that would eventually lea them to Hiccup. Otherwise he was out of ideas and the case had gone cold.

Jack shook himself, refusing to believe they'd reached another dead-end. He just had to think. What side of this had he forgotten? What could he expand on by following?

A crash, thump, and scream cut through his thoughts, making him whirl around to look out the door in confusion. The noises got louder and more insistent as shouting match started off in the common room. Jack swung out of the small room and paced down the hall, coming to an abrupt halt at the end of the corridor when he got a full view of what was happening.

A large ring of Slytherin students had formed around two figures rolling over each other on the ground as they punched and kicked and jabbed. Half the room was screaming for them to stop, the other half was trading bets on who would win. Jack shoved his way to the front of the ground, stumbling slightly when he finally broke through to the front, and was shocked to find Daren Fouls and Snotlout Jorgenson in a full on brawl.

Daren's face was covered in smeared blood that was pouring from his swelling and broken nose. Snotlout's lower lip was split and bleeding, and the knuckles on his right hand were scraped and bruised, probably had a fracture in his hand from when he'd punched Daren in the nose, which was pretty impressive considering how much force it took to break a hand with one punch. They were both covered in bruises and welts, and Jack had no doubt that they'd both be blue and purple in the morning.

Jack watched for a few moments, waiting for an opening, and then he lunged forward into the fray, grabbing Snotlout in a back headlock. Jack threw all of his weight backwards, dragging Snotlout back and away from Daren. Wilbur and Macintosh used the opening to jump in and haul Daren back, too, effectively helping Jack to separate the two.

"Let go of me!" Snotlout gritted out between his teeth, and then he rammed his elbow into Jack's side. Jack released him, and Snotlout whirled to face him, scowling.

"Crazy freak!" Daren groused loudly, sniffing as blood continued to spurt from his nose. "Just like your freak cousin!"

Snotlout's dark colored eyes flared and sparked with fury, and he snapped around, fists clenched. He started forward again, intent on taking his anger out on Fouls, but Jack didn't let him get more than a step away. He grabbed Snotlout's elbow, and Hiccup's cousin glared at him again.

"This won't bring him back." Jack said firmly, his voice authoritative and final.

Everyone fell completely silent, staring wide-eyed at the two opposing young men. Snotlout's glowering held for a whole three intense minutes in which he and Jack stood off against one another, and then he scoffed and yanked his arm free of Jack's hold before stalking off towards the dorms. As soon as he was out of sight, a quiet murmuring started up among the remaining students, and Daren Fouls staggered out, probably heading to the infirmary to complain about his injuries and tattle on Snotlout. A few glances were thrown Jack's way, and he was certain his name would turn up in all the gossip about the fight, but his attention was drawn by Flynn who was ambling over to him.

"Well, that was exciting." Flynn smirked, settling beside Jack with his arms crossed loosely over his chest.

"What was all that about?" Jack asked, cutting straight to the point, and Flynn let out a huge sigh.

"It was just Fouls spouting off nonsense about things he knows nothing about." Flynn replied with a vague shrug. "Snotlout wasn't entirely unjustified, and, to be fair, he did give Fouls a warning before completely losing his temper."

"By 'things' I'm guessing you mean Hiccup." Jack let his eyes slide sideways to look at Flynn, keeping his face as blank and expressionless as possible.

"Yeah." Flynn said simply, and they fell into a slightly awkward silence. Finally Jack took a deep breath and straightened out his spine.

"Snotlout's business is his business, and I couldn't care less about Daren Fouls." Jack told his older friend. "Besides, I have a favor to ask of you."

"This should be good." Flynn grinned, letting his hands fall to his hips. "What do you need?"

"Information." Jack explained. "I feel like there's a lot that we're missing, but I've already exhausted all my leads and connections. Do you think any of your friends or contacts might know anything useful?"

"Hmm," Flynn hummed thoughtfully, biting his lip lightly. "I think I know a guy, but the only place he'll meet with anyone is in the Snuggly Duckling, a pub on the outer edge of Hogsmeade."

"I don't have any plans tonight." Jack informed him, and Flynn grinned wider.

"I knew this would be fun. Your favors are always fun." Flynn said. "I'll meet you back here after curfew."

* * *

When curfew finally passed, and Jack and Flynn met in the common room, Jack was relaxed and confident, eager to get a move on with the new possible lead. Watching all of his leads go cold was getting old, fast, so he was hoping whatever information he gained from Flynn's informant would give him a thread to follow, or at least piece together some of the bits he already had.

They didn't say anything when they met in the common room, they only nodded to each other, and then left the Slytherin dormitories, their eyes scanning for teachers and Prefects. Flynn lead the way through the dark corridors, but Jack knew which secret passage he would use. Jack and Hiccup had found and memorized every passage in the school.

The secondary courtyard with the large, old fountain placed in the middle was surrounded by open-air halls, and they peered out around them before they hurried across the courtyard to the opposite hallway. They turned a corner, finding themselves inside once again and standing at the bottom of a narrow staircase.

Flynn knelt down and tapped out a pattern with his knuckles against the wood floor, and several panels popped up as a trap door. Jack caught the edge and pulled it all the way open, revealing a small drop into a tunnel that they both knew would lead them to the storage room in the back of Honeydukes.

"What are you two doing?" Jack and Flynn jumped and snapped around, letting the trap door slam shut behind them as they faced the source of the questioning demand. Rapunzel stood there with her fists planted firmly on her hips as she glared at them suspiciously, Pascal, who sat on her shoulder, was wearing the exact same expression.

"Punzie!" Jack hissed, glancing back and forth to make sure she was the only one who'd caught them and that no one had come running after the trap door slammed.

"You two are sneaking out, aren't you?" Rapunzel's arms dropped to her sides as her eyes hardened with firm determination and indignation, and Pascal squeaked in outrage.

"We're going to Hogsmeade to meet with one of Flynn's pals, it's no big deal. We'll be back before anyone even knows we're gone." Jack shrugged it off, turning and tapping out the pattern a second time and lifting the trap door back up.

"It is a big deal!" Rapunzel argued, stomping up to them as Pascal stuck his chest out in an attempt to be intimidating. "I'm a Prefect now! I can't keep letting you get away with this stuff. If anyone finds out, we'll all get in a lot of trouble. Why can't this wait until the Hogsmeade trip this weekend?"

"Because this guy is one of Flynn's informants. He might have more information on something related to the case, which could potentially be really useful." Jack told her, already knowing she wouldn't turn them in, but wondering what it was she wanted to accomplish by confronting them.

"You're looking for information on Hiccup." Rapunzel said as her eyes softened with understanding, and Jack nodded. Pascal grumbled, unimpressed. Rapunzel was silent for a moment, and then nodded promptly. "Alright, let's go then."

"Wait, what?" Flynn asked as Rapunzel walked up to the trap door that Jack was holding open and sat down to start lowering herself down.

"I'm coming with you. I'm just as committed to Hiccup's case as Jack is, so I should get to come on the investigation." Rapunzel retorted simply, and Pascal stuck his tongue out in a raspberry at them.

"Uh-huh, yeah, listen, Blondie," Flynn chuckled, rocking back on his heels and crossing his arms over his chest. "The place we're going isn't really a great spot for princess's and their pet frogs. So, why don't you run along and finish up your patrol of the courtyard, and we'll bring you back some candy from Honeydukes, okay?"

Rapunzel and Pascal looked at Flynn with matching dry expressions that Jack swore would rival Hiccup's. Heck, she probably learned it from Hiccup. Then they glanced knowingly at each other, and Rapunzel let herself drop into the tunnel, calling up to them as she went. "We'll see about that, Flynn Rider."

Flynn gaped at the dark opening where Rapunzel disappeared in disbelief, and then looked up at Jack for some kind of response, but Jack only chuckled and shrugged. "Pascal's a chameleon, not a frog."

A few minutes later they were well on their way to Honeydukes with Jack leading the way, Rapunzel trotting along with a smug smile on her lips, and Flynn stalking along at the back as he grumbled about stubborn princesses. They reached the candy shop without any problems, though, pushing up to open the trap door and then sneaking through the empty store. They tiptoed through Hogsmeade, knowing that no one in the village would tattle on them, but not wanting to tempt fate by making a lot of noise.

Flynn took the lead when they were out on the dark streets, guiding them away from the polished and gardened parts of Hogsmeade and off towards the run-down, squeaky hinges parts on the outskirts of the town, farthest from the school. Off in the edges of the forest was a small building with a sign posted out in the front that read 'The Snuggly Duckling'. Jack and Rapunzel shared a glance, and then followed Flynn inside.

The inside of the pub wasn't very well lit, but compared to the darkness of the night outside, it was much brighter. It was bustling with all sorts of rough looking people, who would easily be identified as ruffians and thugs. Angry scowls, ugly scars, missing limbs. These were the people of the underground system. Thieves, black market traders, drug runners, bounty hunters and all the rest. Maybe even a Pirate, though they tend to be higher up on the Crime Food-chain and, therefore, are much harder to find.

Several occupants of the bar sneered or scoffed at them as they passed by their tables. Jack felt Rapunzel move closer to him, and he pressed closer to her to avoid pumping a large man as he passed, heading in the opposite direction. Flynn was cool and calm as he waltzed into the bar and across the floor, heading for one of the tables in the very back.

"Hook Hand! My man! How've you been?" Flynn greeted cheerily once he reached a table filled with several, very dangerous looking, men. "I see you've got the gang together, as usual. Vlad', the horns are looking good! Big Nose, how's the oozing problem?"

"Rider!" A shorter, chubby man who sat directly across from where they were standing interrupted Flynn. "You finally come to repay the debt you owe me? I'm losing patience with those twenty gold pieces." The man growled, removing a polishing rag to reveal the large hook that replaced his missing hand.

Rapunzel gasped and ducked behind Jack, who just hoped his blank face was staying blank. He knew how interrogation worked, and if he was going to have any chance of getting the information he needed, he needed to make sure these terrifying thugs and ruffians couldn't read his every thought by looking at his face.

"Oh," Flynn's chuckled turned into more of a cough, and Jack sent him a questioning, warning look. "Yeah, about that, you see it's gonna take a little longer to get those gold pieces than I originally thought..."

"What?" Hook Hand snapped, standing and stalking over to Flynn, holding up his hook in Flynn's face. "What do you think you're doing? Showing your face in here without having my money?" The other men around the table started to shift and grumble with the same underlying anger and annoyance.

"Well, it's actually a really funny story, see, I have this guy who owes me money, but he missed his pay-up date. I've got interest running up quite the bill on this guy, and it's already double than what I originally owed you. So, as soon as this guy pays up, I'll give you all of it to make up for the extra wait time, how's that sound?" Flynn was talking pretty quick and his voice went up a few notes on the last three words.

Hook Hand seemed to consider this for a few minutes, letting Flynn stand there and sweat as he rolled his tongue over his teeth beneath his lips. "Alright." Hook Hand finally agreed, giving Flynn a short nod. "I'll take it, but I'll be keeping track of the days. You say it's double now? I'll watch the interest, so don't you dare think you can skimp out on me!"

"Wouldn't dream of it, my friend!" Flynn grinned widely, waving the notion off as if it were entirely ridiculous.

"So, what are you doing in here? What's with these two?" Hook Hand questioned, turning his hardened eyes on Jack and Rapunzel. Pascal squeak and cowered in Rapunzel's hair.

"Jack Frost." Jack stepped forward, keeping his shoulders back and his chin high as he met the man gaze-for-gaze. "I was hoping you might have some Intel that would help me."

"Depends on who's askin', and what they're askin' for." Hook Hand said, but he didn't seem very impressed as he crossed his arms and turned to face Jack full on. "Why?"

"I'm looking into something. Thought you might know something about the Auror who disappeared, Samuel Arrow?" Jack inquired, testing to see what kind of reaction that might get him.

Hook Hand's eyes widened and he turned away, walking quickly back towards his seat at the table while the rest of his companions pretended they hadn't heard anything. "I don't know anything about that, and you shouldn't either. If you know what's good for you, you'll get out of here and forget whatever it is you're looking for." Hook Hand told them, ending the conversation, but Jack ignored the cue.

"I can't ignore it. I need to know. What really happened to Mr. Arrow? What's with the dragon appearances in Gabylonia? Anything you can tell me, anything at all!" Jack pressed, his hands planted flat on the table.

"I can't tell you anything, and those are dangerous questions to be asking. You haven't got a clue what you're getting into!" Hook Hand snapped, firmly refusing to cooperate with them. "You," He growled, pointing a stubby finger at Flynn. "Take your nosy friends and get out of here! I don't want to see this guy again!"

"Okay, no problem, terribly sorry to bother you." Flynn chuckled nervously, taking Jack's shoulders and pushing him towards the door despite his protests.

"Wait!" Rapunzel suddenly jumped in, and Flynn and Jack froze as they watched her step up to the table and look over at Hook Hand with honest, pleading eyes. "Please, our friend has disappeared, and we think someone is trying to hide the truth. I'm sure you heard about the boy who was killed by a dragon last year? We think Mr. Arrow's disappearance might have something to do with it. Please, we're just trying to help our friend."

Hook Hand looked at Rapunzel's liquid green eyes for a long moment before he finally heaved a heavy sigh and glanced around the room to make sure no one was listening in on their conversation.

"Alright, fine!" Hook Hand said, motioning them closer. "I'll tell you everything I know, but then you have to leave." He told them, and they all nodded vigorously. "Okay; the clearing where they found Arrow's hat was empty, but there was something there before the investigators got there. The ground was all tore up, blood all over the place, and a ditch created by a dragon crash-landing in the clearing."

"It was the clearing they found the dead dragon in?" Rapunzel asked. "Why would they hide something like that?"

"Because the dragon wasn't there. It was gone without a trace, just like Arrow." Hook Hand informed them. "And that's not the only thing they're not telling people; the dragon had a bunch of weird symbols all around it's neck, they were all black like they'd been charred to a crisp."

"But dragons' skin is impervious to fire and magic." Jack murmured, puzzled by the new information.

"That's right. Except no one really knows what Black Magic can do. It's never been tested." Hook Hand leaned close to them, keeping his voice as soft as possible. "Word on the street is; the symbols looked like they were made partially out of Black Sand."

"Pitch." Jack said, and Hook Hand nodded grimly.

"The Dark Sorcerer is on the rise again, and if he took some kind of interest in your friend, I wouldn't count much on seeing him again." Hook Hand's eyes were sympathetic, but his tone was firm and certain. "There are dark times coming, and the Ministry doesn't want to admit it. You, lot, had better be careful what you get yourselves into. Don't go chasing after what you've already lost."


	14. Seer Troubles

_NOTES:_ Peace can only be attained through War...

**Chapter 14: Seer Troubles**

_There was fire and screaming, shouting and loud crashes. Metal hissed and clanged, and the air was tainted with the coppery scent of blood. The dark sky glowed with the deep red of the flickering flames, and black, billowing smoke clouds rolled into the air from the ground. The screams of battle were far away, but deafening at the same time._

_The sounds continued to echo in her mind as the images flashed to flags and coats of arms. Dented, stained weapons laying scattered across an eerily empty field. Charred remains of trees as ashes drifted through the air..._

Merida's eyes snapped open, revealing the stone ceiling of the Gryffindor dorms above her. She was laying on her back in her bed, her night gown and sheets twisted around her awkwardly as her two blankets hung mostly off the side of the bed, kicked off sometime during the night. She slowly pushed herself up to sitting, tilting her head to the side slightly to look out the window beside her bed.

The window was bright with morning sunlight, and Merida could hear the faint chirping of birds singing. It was a little early, as the dorm bells hadn't chimed to wake up all of the students yet, and Merida guessed she probably had about an hour or so before breakfast was available in the Great Hall.

She sighed quietly and shoved the sheets off of her legs as she scooted over to the edge of the bed. She placed her feet on the hardwood floor, bracing her elbows on her knees as she tried to scrub the sand and the vision from her eyes.

She shook her head to clear her thoughts, and then Merida reached for the nightstand beside her bed, opening the drawer and pulling out a larger sized journal. The pages were larger than the average journal, but it was also thinner with less pages. The first half of the book was colored with use and thick with notes, extra papers, and small scraps of parchment tucked between the pages. She opened the journal to the first blank page and dug into her drawer for her quill and ink. She wrote down everything she could remember about the vision and the feelings it left her with. Then she proceeded to underline words and phrases, jotting down notes or ideas in the margins, and using any left over space for any theories she had about what it might mean. It took about half an hour just for the single page, but when she was done she felt pretty satisfied with her work, which helped to push away the feelings of dread and foreboding left behind by her nightmare.

The visions that plagued her had steadily been getting worse and worse with each passing day since last Summer. They'd never been this often or strong before, and she wasn't sure what any of them meant. If she was being honest with herself, Merida had never actually fully acknowledged the fact that she was a Seer. She knew she was talented in Divination, and she enjoyed it, but she'd never stopped to think about the fact that her magic was slightly different from most of her classmates, if not all of them. Not until recently, that is. She'd never seeked guidance for her Sight before, but she was feeling pretty helpless and she had no idea what to do about it.

Merida hesitated for a moment after ensuring that the ink had dried. Normally she put her dream journal back into the nightstand, safely out of the way, so no one would accidentally find out about her terrifying visions. But now, Merida was remembering her Divination class later that day. If she brought the journal with her, she could show it to Professor Robinson and ask for some advice.

She considered the idea for a few moments and then shook her head, closed the book with a soft snap, and shoved it back into her drawer. Then she got her bag and dropped it onto her bed so she could get ready for the day. She got dressed, shook out her hair and ran her fingers through it a few times. She slipped her feet into sturdy shoes and grabbed her book bag on her way out of the dorms just as the bells began to chime, rousing her roommates from their comfortable sleep.

Down in the Great Hall, Merida was one of the first to show up for breakfast, and she sat waiting for Rapunzel and Jack as she nibbled on some toast. They'd already told her about their trip to Hogsmeade two nights ago, and she felt as shaken by the information they'd received as they looked. It was all too confusing, and it didn't help that whenever Jack or Rapunzel brought up the case her mind always went to her visions. She just couldn't help thinking that it was all connected somehow.

After a little while of brooding over her own thoughts, Merida finally caught sight of Rapunzel among the crowds of the breakfast feast. Jack followed shortly after, and they all sat together at the Gryffindor table as they ate. They talked vaguely about the case, not wanting to go over major details out in the open, and then they discussed their different homework assignments and classes.

At some point after the morning mail was delivered, a large group of students gathered around the Hufflepuff table. They went to see what the excitement was about and found they'd come just in time to hear Kayley read the latest adventure of Humongous the Hotshot Hero from the front page of the Daily Prophet. It was a fantastic, daring quest for hidden treasure with a mysterious island, dangerous pirates, and a child in need of saving.

Merida was happy to see her friends and schoolmates having fun together and blurring the lines between the Houses. The atmosphere of the Hall felt lighter than it had in a very long time, even if it was still a little grey, but it didn't last very long.

"And what, exactly, are you insinuating?" The demand was shrill, coming from just outside the Great Hall's doors. Merida shared a few confused and wary looks with Jack, Rapunzel, and the others before they all shifted towards the entrance, gathering around to see what was going on.

"I am merely requesting that when it comes to my students, you conform to the prescribed disciplinary practices." Professor Toothiana replied firmly, hovering slightly above the staircase Lady Tremaine stood on. The two women were facing each other with tight expressions and strictly held civility between them.

"So silly of me, but it sounds as if you're questioning my authority in my own classroom," Lady Tremaine said, taking a step up the stairs to stand a little taller than the History of Magic Professor. " _Toothiana_."

"Not at all, _Madonna_ ," Toothiana retorted, fluttering up a little higher to be even with the Lady of the Ministry again. "Only your medieval methods!"

"I..." Lady Tremaine gasped in utter astonishment and indignation, her overly powdered, slightly wrinkly hands clenching into fists at her sides. "I'm sorry, dear, but to question my practices is to question the Ministry, and, by extension, the Minister himself! I am a tolerant woman, but the one thing I will not stand for is Disloyalty."

Professor Toothiana was quiet as she slowly fluttered down to the ground, her feet landing on the step just below Lady Tremaine's. Her wings fell down against her back as she stared up at Lady Tremaine in disbelief.

"Disloyalty." The Head of Hufflepuff House scoffed quietly.

Lady Tremaine looked down her nose at Toothiana as she took another step up the staircase, turning to face the gathered crowd which Merida was apart of. "Things at Hogwarts are far worse than I feared," She announced, and Merida could feel her stomach coiling into knots at the uncertainty of what was about to happen. "Minister Frollo will want to take immediate action."

* * *

It took less than a week for the Prime Minister to send out the order, and less than an hour for Mr. Crood to grudgingly hang the plaque for the new School Rule outside the Great Hall: Having already revolutionized the teaching of Defense Against the Dark Arts, Lady Tremaine would, as High Inquisitor, have powers to address the seriously falling standards at Hogwarts School.

All of the newspapers and reporters were going crazy with all the excitement, questioning Lady Tremaine about her new position, inquiring the Prime Minister about his decision, covering the response from parents across all of the Northern Kingdoms. Many parents were endorsing the Ministry's decision to become involved at Hogwarts because of their own fear for their children, especially after last year. There were still some who were wary, but they didn't openly speak out against it.

Lady Tremaine took her new role proudly and walked through the halls of the school with purpose. With a flick of her wand, she would separate any two students she saw kissing or standing too close to each other. With a quick point, she would tighten loose ties around necks and tuck in the backs of shirts. One day when Flynn, Tadashi, Jim, and Jack were out in a courtyard throwing a spark ball around like they used to, Lady Tremaine walked in and put out the spark, leaving behind a crowd of disappointed students.

Every day brought about a new rule that Mr. Crood was forced to hang outside the Great Hall, teetering on an unsteady ladder with each clank of his hammer; No music was to be played during study hours, which was the entire day from sunrise to curfew. All Thorston ideas were banned immediately. Proper Dress Code was to be maintained at all times. Dueling Club was banned from the school.

She even created an entirely new Etiquette course that was mandatory for all students, which they were separated by age and gender for. Merida knew instantly she would hate the class, and was not disappointed when she attended the first meeting with her fellow female year-mates. It was all the things her mother used to force her to do; dressing in frilly dresses, giving speeches, reciting poetry, learning manners for different social situations, an entire lesson for what fork to use at what points during a formal meal. They were being taught how to be delicate Ladies, and Merida absolutely despised it.

And the torture didn't end with just the students. Not even the teachers could escape Lady Tremaine's critical eye.

Honey Lemon, Jim, and Tadashi told Merida, Jack, and Rapunzel about the first teacher evaluation Lady Tremaine conducted for Professor Mode in the sixth-year Alchemy class. Tremaine had interrupted mid-class, something that one just did not do in the middle of Professor Mode's class as she was one of the more strict teachers at the school, mostly because of the delicate balance and discipline required for a subject such as Alchemy, but she was also well-liked for her amusing rants and straight-forward personality. Professor Mode was obviously annoyed by the interruption, but turned to the Lady, and promptly answered her following question of how long she'd had the position of Alchemy Instructor.

The next day, Lady Tremaine decided to sit in on the Merida and Jack's Charms class with Bunnymund. The Pooka was gruff and cranky through most of the class, and answered all of the Lady's questions with one-word replys.

"I'm told you originally held the Defense Against the Dark Arts position?" Lady Tremaine asked him as she circled the front of the room.

"Yes." Bunnymund had gruffed in reply, rolling his eyes when her back was turned.

"But you were moved into the Charms position?" She pressed, and Merida swore that she saw a smug expression on her face.

"Obviously." Bunnymund had growled in reply.

By the end of the week, Lady Tremaine had made her evaluations of half the teachers in the school and was still going. She was there for Merida's Divination Friday afternoon, and Professor Robinson seemed to take it all in stride, keeping up her usual friendly personality with her students and being firm, but polite in her responses to all of Lady Tremaine's questions.

When their class was dismissed, Merida stayed seated, tapping her fingers on her crossed arms as all of her classmates wandered out of the room. When all the other students had left, leaving just Merida, Professor Robinson, and Lady Tremaine in the classroom, Merida stood and pulled her dream journal from her book bag.

At first, she'd been hesitant to seek out quality time with an instructor to talk about all her weird dreams that left her feeling like she might lose her dinner from the night before, but her visions had gotten worse. She had dreams almost every night now, and she sometimes got flashes of visions throughout the day. The day before, she'd had two; one in the middle of her Herbology class, and one in the middle of lunch, and it was followed by a long night of nightmares. She was tired and her stomach felt as if it had twisted itself into a permanent knot.

Merida blinked a few times to clear her thoughts and clutched her dream journal to her chest as she quietly walked down from her seat to the open floor of the attic classroom. Lady Tremaine's back was to her, and Merida wondered if the Ministry Lady knew she was even there at all. Professor Robinson glanced at her for a brief moment, and then focused her gaze on Lady Tremaine again. Merida stood silently a few feet away.

"...and have you had any visions within the past year?" Lady Tremaine was asking as Professor Robinson stood there listening.

"Divination is a very temperamental practice," Professor Robinson explained, the small wrinkles at the corners of her mouth as the only sign that her patience was beginning to wane. "Seers can't chose when they receive visions or prophecies, but I've had a few, yes."

"Would you care to elaborate on that, dear?" Lady Tremaine prodded, not catching the obvious dismissal Professor Robinson had given.

"The Ministry has no business concerning itself with any of my visions, of any Seers', for that matter. If I believe something is important enough to be brought to attention, I will inform Professor North or the Prime Minister, myself." Professor Robinson told her plainly, her gaze flicking up briefly, but pointedly to meet Merida's.

"My dear," Lady Tremaine blinked in feigned puzzlement. "What exactly is keeping you from telling me about your visions? If I didn't know better, I might think you were trying to hide something."

"I have nothing to hide, and you have no reason to question it any farther." Professor Robinson looked over Lady Tremaine's shoulder to subtly meet Merida's gaze as she continued talking, her words clearly enunciated to let Merida know she wasn't actually talking to Lady Tremaine anymore. "Seers have authority over everything they See, and I'm telling you the Ministry has no reason to know about anything I've Seen. If you're worried about the future, you might visit the Centaurs. They're the most well-versed species in the entire field of Divination, they can help you with anything you want to know."

"Well, I don't see why I should trek into the savagery of the forest just to..." Lady Tremaine started, but Merida didn't stay long enough to hear the rest.

Normally, Merida would be shocked to hear a teacher suggesting she go wandering into the Forbidden Forest in an attempt to find the Centaurs, but in this instance, it was different. Professor Robinson wasn't giving her the advice as a teacher to a student, but as a Seer to a Seer.

* * *

The forest was washed in late afternoon light as Merida and the brown mare she'd borrowed from the School Stables picked their way through the underbrush. Merida's form was covered by the simple brown cloak she'd pulled on, and her bow was slung over her shoulders with a quiver full of arrows at her hip. She held the reins in a loose grip, maneuvering the horse easily through the forest as she was used to Angus who was much bigger than the mare that was known as Button.

Merida's eyes scanned the trees, mindful of her surroundings. Initially she'd thought about asking Jack and Rapunzel to come with her so she wouldn't have to travel through the dangerous forest by herself, but she ultimately decided she didn't have the time because she wanted to leave the castle while Professor Robinson was keeping Lady Tremaine distracted, and she didn't think it very appropriate to bring her two friends along with her. This was something she had to do on her own.

The crack of a twig made Merida's head snap to the left, and Button paused in her trek, both of them searching for the source of the noise. The trees branches were unmoving, not even a breeze to make them sway, and the underbrush was silent.

"Let's keep going, girl." Merida murmured, gently patting Button's shoulder and meeting the mare's gaze before they pressed on, heading deeper and deeper into the forest without a clear trail to guide them.

Two more cracks sounded somewhere behind her, but Merida didn't stop. Her eyes shifted to one side, watching out of her peripherals, and her hand gripped the string of her bow at her chest. Button's shoulders were tense beneath her, but the mare kept a steady pace as she was lead to.

An arrow shot out of the trees, embedding itself in the ground right in front of Button's front hooves. The mare reared up, moving back and away from the projectile, but Merida could already hear the figures bursting through the trees and brush, surrounding them. Merida gripped the reins between her teeth, wheeling Button around so she could count their numbers, and her hands went for her bow and arrow.

Button whinnied, prancing in place, and Merida raised her bow just as the lead Centaur leveled his arrow at her head. They were at a stalemate, and the other centaurs surrounding her were armed with bows and staffs. Merida lowered her Bow, taking the reins back into one hand and meeting the lead centaur gaze for gaze.

"I am a Seer from Hogwarts Castle, friend of Sypys and Arafess, and I have come seeking Council from your elders." Merida told them, keeping her grip on the reins firm in the hopes of steadying Button and holding the gaze of the centaur leveling an arrow at her head.

The centaur lowered his weapon, exchanging a few looks with some of his companions, and then he nodded to her. The centaurs strung their weapons over their shoulders, and Merida did the same as they fell in all around her, starting off into the forest. Merida could only hope they were leading her back to their village.

They walked through the forest and eventually came to a river where they crossed over a simple bridge that was covered in vines and flowers. The brush wasn't as thick in that area, allowing the ground to be more level, and the trees were spaced out enough to let sunlight through their branches. Just a little ways beyond the bridge was a low fence made of tree branches and ivy vines, which were also blooming with flowers. There were several thatch huts and a large stone structure, which Merida guessed was their community hall and, or temple.

To enter the village, they passed through an elegant arch that looked as if it had grown from the forest floor all on it's own, woven and arched and connecting to the fence on either side of the opening.

On the inside there was peace and a lightheartedness Merida hadn't felt since fourth year. Children galloped around, chasing each other and playing games as they laughed. Adults moved about fluently, helping with chores such as cooking, teaching, and carving bows and arrows with sharp stones. Merida saw some centaurs that looked to be about her age, and they were smiling and laughing as they dueled with swords. Three younglings were settled on the wide steps of the stone structure, trying to weave flower crowns, and Merida was happy to see that she recognized the centaur teaching them.

"Arafess!" Merida greeted as she and the head centaur from the patrol party stopped a few feet away. Merida swung her leg over and dropped to the ground, smiling as her fellow Seer stood and smiled brightly right back at her.

"Merida!" Arafess walked over and gave Merida a hug, bending down as she was much taller. Merida couldn't help but notice how much older she looked compared to the last time she'd seen her. Pulling back from the hug, Arafess turned to the head centaur. "Has something happened?"

"No, Arafess. The witch says she is a Seer from Hogwarts Castle, and that she is friends to you and Chief Sypys." He said, glancing sideways at Merida with a small amount of suspicion. Cautious.

"It is true. Merida is a friend to our people and a Seer." Arafess assured him, and he seemed to relax at least a little bit. The children were giggling and trotting around Arafess's legs as they peeked up at Merida curiously. Arafess turned her gaze from the patrol leader to Merida. "What brings you to our village?"

"I needed some advice concerning my Sight, but Hogwarts isn't as safe as it used to be..." Merida tried to explain vaguely, and Arafess nodded grimly.

"I have Seen some of what has happened, and Sypys tells me what he sees when he meets with your teachers at the forest edge. The Ministry has entered Hogwarts?" The Centaur-Seer looked worried, and Merida could only nod soberly.

"I was hoping you could help me." Merida said, patting Button's snout after she nudged her shoulder.

"I will try my best. Follow me." Arafess replied, turning and leading the way up the wide steps of the stone hall. Merida petted Button's snout soothingly and then hurried after Arafess.

They reached the top of the stairs, and Merida discovered that the hall acted as the village library and, judging by the large, circular table, also the Council Room. She also guessed that it would be a place for village meetings and ceremonies. Book shelves lined the walls, and several older centaurs were scattered around the room; talking, looking at books, peering at maps spread out on the table.

Arafess led her to the group looking at the maps, and Merida was happy to see Sypys was among them. He looked up, and straightened entirely when he saw them. The three other centaurs gathered around him looked at them curiously, wondering what had caught his attention.

"Sypys," Arafess said, trotting up to them. "Merida has come seeking guidance with her Sight. Have the elders returned from their quest to the caves?"

"No." Sypys shook his head solemnly. "I am afraid they will not return until tomorrow at high noon."

"I can't wait that long." Merida told them, her brow creasing slightly in concern. "I have to get back to school before someone notices I'm gone."

"Up to mischief once again?" Sypys remarked, the corners of his lips twitching upwards towards a smile. "I'm certain Arafess and I can offer some assistance with the help of the scrolls and books the elders keep. What guidance do you seek?"

"I've been having terrible dreams every night, and now I've started having visions of the same things throughout the day." Merida confided in them. "There's always the sounds of armies screaming and fighting in the distance, and I See the remains of everything that's been destroyed. I'll have dreams about wonderful moments in my life where everything is bright and happy, but the vision will shift and everything will turn dark and shadowed, and I think I can hear Pitch Black laughing... The most terrifying of all are the dreams when I wake up and Hogwarts is burning, and there are bodies everywhere, and almost everything is stained or smeared with red..." Merida shivered as the memories raced through her mind.

"This is troubling indeed." Sypys agreed with her, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.

"I have had some visions of warning and destruction." Arafess added in. "I believe the winds have shifted, and Lady Fate is trying to warn us of the danger that approaches, but what it might be, I don't know."

"I'm worried." Merida admitted to them. "Ever since Hiccup disappeared, everything's been different. There's so much fear, and Pitch is probably feeding off of it and growing stronger with each minute... I'm afraid a War is coming, and we're not even close to prepared for it. Lady Tremaine has all but forbidden Defense Against the Dark Arts practice, and with the way things seem to be going, we'll only be learning about Magic Theory by the end of the year. No one will know how to properly cast a spell, let alone defend themselves! All because the Ministry is too afraid to admit what's really happening!"

By now, Merida was pacing back and forth, waving her arms over her head and gesturing wildly in her frustration. Sypys and Arafess looked as grim as she felt, and she didn't know what to make of that. She was at a complete loss of what to do, and her visions were only getting worse.

"I was not aware of the severity of the situation at Hogwarts." Sypys informed her, looking a little regretful. "Centaurs and the Ministry don't often see eye-to-eye on most matters, and when I heard that the Ministry was involving itself in Hogwarts business, I pulled our patrols away from that edge of the forest. Our only contact with the school has been through Mr. Crood during our annual meetings. I wonder if I made a mistake, allowing the Ministry to draw a line in our shared land."

"You couldn't have known. No one could." Merida reassured him, placing a comforting hand on his arm, and then she looked down at the ground sadly. "Lady Tremaine is changing everything, and by the time she's finished I honestly don't know if Hogwarts will be the same school we once knew..."

"You mustn't give up hope." Arafess insisted. "I do not disagree with your fears of War; I have been fearing the same thing with each new vision I See, but there must be a way to fix this. Or, at least, to prepare the students for what may come."

"I wish I could be half as hopeful as you, Arafess, but I just don't see what anyone can do with Lady Tremaine still holding so much power." Merida sighed quietly, her shoulders feeling heavy as a slight ache set in at her right temple.

"The students need someone to teach them, and if the school cannot help you, then you must find another way." Sypys told her, and Merida didn't respond.

Of course, she knew Sypys was right, they needed to be taught how to fight and defend themselves. But what was she supposed to do?

* * *

By the time Merida had returned to the castle, it was about an hour before the dinner feast, and a thick fog had rolled in from off the water, covering the sky. There was still plenty of light, but the grey tones of the castle had worsened with the sudden shift in weather, and Merida couldn't shake the feeling of dread pooling in her stomach.

She stabled Button, gave her a light brushing and cleaning, and then left some food and water for her before walking up to the castle itself. When she finally turned onto one of the main corridors, near the main courtyard of the school, she noticed a lot of the other students were hurrying towards the main entrance. Seeing Astrid in the river of students, Merida jumped into the flow beside her.

"Astrid, what's happening?" Merida asked, looking around at some of the others, wondering where they were all going.

"It's Professor Mode." Astrid replied simply, offering no other explanation than a worried expression as they hurried on with the others.

Reaching the main courtyard, Merida ran down one of the open-air corridors to the open archway where there was still some space. The halls were crammed with all of the students, watching silently as they radiated concern and upset. In the center of the courtyard, Professor Edna Mode stood, surrounded by several suitcases, as Lady Tremaine exited the main door and came down to meet her.

"This is iniquity!" Professor Mode shouted, pointing an accusatory finger at the taller woman. "You impudent she-demon! Alchemy is an fine art! You won't find another witch or wizard better suited for this job! All the other classes, relying on incantations and instructions, blah! Words are useless! Gobble, Gobble, Gobble -There's too much of it! Too much! You cannot do this to me!"

"Actually, I can." Lady Tremaine said softly, holding up the parchment with the degree from the Prime Minister. She smiled sympathetically, but the image made Merida lip curl. "You see, dear, Alchemy is simply too... Uneven. It's only offered when sufficient demand is presented, which has only happened once in the past five years, and the subject itself is simply entirely unstructured! So few witches and wizards are capable of such magic anyways, there really isn't any point."

"No point?!" Professor Mode fumed. "No point?! Alchemy is one of the greatest forms of magic! The Ministry discredits it because none of you entitled politicians could even dream of performing such feats!" Mode yelled, and Professor Toothiana flew out into the courtyard from somewhere behind Merida. The Fairy Queen held Professor Mode back as she tried to calm the smaller teacher. Lady Tremaine just continued to watch, unfazed.

"Something you'd like to say, dear?" She asked Professor Toothiana.

"Oh, there are several." Toothiana retorted, but she kept a firm hold on Professor Mode's arm to keep her from launching herself at Lady Tremaine.

At that moment, the main door heaved itself open, causing everyone to turn and look to see who was interrupting. Professor North appeared in the entryway, walking down the steps with a brisk stride as he approached the three women.

"Tooth," North addressed his fellow Guardian first as he came to a stop in front of Lady Tremaine. "Might I ask you to escort Edna back inside?"

Toothiana nodded, and wrapped her arm around Edna Mode's shoulders to guide her away. Edna nodded her respect and thanks to North and then spat on the ground as she and Toothiana passed by Lady Tremaine.

"North." Lady Tremaine harped evenly. "May I remind you, that under the terms of Educational Degree number twenty-three, as enacted by the Minister, I -"

"You have the right to dismiss my teachers." North cut in flatly. "You do not, however, have the authority to banish them from the grounds. That power remains with the Headmaster."

Lady Tremaine's permanent pleasant expression was tight and she remained silent for a long moment before speaking, "For now."

North looked around at the surrounding crowds as he started to take a few steps back. He turned and stalked towards the main entrance, and then called out angrily to them in a very Un-North-like way. "Don't you all have studying to do?!"

The students immediately began to disperse, and Merida shot forward, hoping to catch up to Professor North so she could talk to him about her visions and fears. "Professor!" She called, barely glimpsing him between all of the black robes of her fellow students. "Professor!"

By the time she broke free of the swarm, she stood in the entryway, and North was nowhere in sight. Merida could only stand there, hopelessly looking at nothing but the entry stairs.

Jack appeared at her side silently, an they looked up at the stairs together for a moment before Jack spoke. "He's been avoiding us. He's sticking to what he said when he said he didn't want us to be involved with what's going on."

"I'm just worried we don't know about everything that's going on." Merida murmured as they both stood there, grimly aware of the dangers closing in around them.


	15. The Room of Requirement

_NOTES:_ Sometimes all you need is the help of some really good Friends...

**Chapter 15: The Room of Requirement**

"This is insane." Merida said as they stood outside of the Snuggly Duckling, staring at the small structure with chipped paint and a faded sign out front.

"Maybe, but with everything we know, and everything you've Seen, we can't just sit around doing nothing." Rapunzel replied from her spot in the middle of the line they'd made in front of the small establishment.

After her meeting with Sypys and Arafess, Merida was left feeling somewhat lost and helpless. Her centaur friends could offer little assistance while the Ministry was embedded within Hogwarts, and Sypys warned her that she should be prepared for any of the dangers that might come. The problem was, Merida had no idea what she should prepare for, or when it might happen. She was completely blind except for the deep-seeded feeling of dread in her stomach.

After seeing Professor Mode's almost-banishment, Merida had turned to Jack and asked him to talk. At Jack's nod, they immediately went to find Rapunzel, and then Merida told them both about her visions and her meeting with Arafess and Sypys. They'd been shocked and worried, but Merida was just relieved to finally get everything off of her chest.

Of course, the dark and haunting images Merida shared with Jack and Rapunzel gave all three of them reason to be concerned. They spent the following four days trying to think of something they could do to stop, or even just prepare for, what was going to happen. Merida was unable to think of much, but Rapunzel had come up with the idea that maybe they could find a way to teach themselves, like Professor Bunnymund helped them to do when the Dueling Club was still active at School. It was this idea that lead to a secret meeting during the next Hogsmeade Trip of that month, which is what lead to them standing where they were.

"Look on the bright side," Jack said from Rapunzel's other side. "It can't be any worse than any of our other crazy ideas."

A moment of silence followed, and almost instantly Merida understood; they were all hearing Hiccup's dry response, 'Thanks, Jack, that makes me feel so much better'. But it was all in their heads. The air seemed to get a little more cold, and the atmosphere became grim as they stood there in silence.

"Well, I'm not sure what I was expecting, but this sure wasn't it." Merida blew out on a tight sigh, gesturing to the low building in front of them.

"I thought it would be safest somewhere off the beaten track." Rapunzel's cheeks blushed a light shade of pink. "I remembered Flynn bringing us here when Jack asked for more information on Mr. Arrow's disappearance, and so I asked if he could pull some strings for me." She explained, tucking a lock of golden hair back behind her ear.

Pascal chose that moment to poke his head out of Rapunzel's pocket and give a great big yawn. He peered around at their surroundings, and then scurried up to his usual perch on Rapunzel's shoulder. Rapunzel scratched the top of his head and then, with a look at Jack and Merida, walked to the door.

The Snuggly Duckling was a bar comprised of one small, very dark, dirty, and slightly soggy room with arched windows that were so encrusted with filth that they could barely see through them. The place was filled with rough wooden tables that didn't have much else besides the stubs of candles sitting upon their surfaces. The stone floor of the place was so dirty that it looked as though there wasn't a floor at all, but actually that the building was simply built on open ground.

"So who's supposed to be meeting us?" Jack questioned just before a tiny old man in a diaper and wings fell from the candle chandelier on the ceiling and onto a table, tipping it over and falling to the floor.

* * *

It didn't take long for the three to push the tables back and set up the chairs in a large circle. Soon after that everyone started showing up and finding various places to stand or sit. No one really spoke, all of their expressions showing signs of exhaustion and grim reality. The silence stayed thick until everyone was there and seated, and it remained for several more moments as Merida exchanged looks with Rapunzel and Jack, unsure of what to do. Finally, Rapunzel sucked in a breath and stood.

"Um, hi." She greeted everyone as they stared back at her, void of any emotion. "So, you all know why we're here: we need a teacher... A proper teacher. One who's had real experience defending themselves against the Dark Arts."

"Why?" Macintosh demanded from his spot, standing a little off to the side and leaning back against a post.

"Why? Because Pitch Black's coming back to power, blockhead!" Jim Hawkins bit back, his arms crossed over his chest as he stood with the rest of the Ravenclaw Quidditch team.

"Says who? The Guardians beat him once before, they'll handle it again!" Macintosh argued.

"Do you really believe that? Why would the Ministry be getting involved if something wasn't wrong? Dad says this is how it started last time; These small attacks that have been happening, people disappearing..." Eep trailed off, her eyes darting across Jack, Rapunzel, and Merida in silent apology.

"Look, we're not gonna talk about Hiccup, so if that's why you're here you may as well clear out now." Jack snapped, standing up from his seat next to Rapunzel. "We're here because the Ministry, and the Guardians, aren't telling us what's really happening. Pitch is back, and they don't know how to stop him. Last time it took an entire war with millions of people on both sides. There were more Guardians, like the Man in the Moon and my Dad, and they had a lot of help. Now they're afraid to admit that it's happening again. People would be hysterical if they found out a war was coming, but pretending it's not happening will hurt more people than it will save in the end. If we're not prepared for what's coming, Pitch will take over the school and he won't stop until everything's destroyed."

Everyone was silent, their eyes cast down towards the feet or glancing around at each other before returning to Jack's hardened gaze. Rapunzel put a gentle hand on Jack's shoulder and then turned to everyone else.

"Pitch... He's smart, and he's growing stronger every day, but I don't want anyone else I care about getting hurt. We can help each other learn how to defend ourselves. We can fight back." Rapunzel told them, she looked at Jack again, giving his shoulder a gentle squeeze. "We owe it to the people we've lost already."

"What about you?" Astrid asked, her piercing blue eyes locked onto Merida who had chosen to stay silently in her seat during the whole exchange. Merida looked up and around the room, gazing at all the uncertain faces and the grim lines creasing Jack and Rapunzel's mouths.

"I think there are consequences for not using the gifts you're given, no matter how scared you are." Merida murmured, and then she slowly stood and stepped forward to stand next to Jack and Rapunzel. "We can't let the Ministry take over Hogwarts. Dark and dangerous times are coming, but Rapunzel's right; we can help and learn from each other."

Merida nodded to Jack and Rapunzel, and the three of them turned to face their schoolmates together. Merida felt a lightness fill the air as grim reality shifted more towards hope and determination.

"Well, I've only got one question." Gogo said, raising two fingers from her seat on top of the bar and then leaning back comfortably. "Where do I sign up?"

It took a matter of minutes to move a table out with a piece of parchment and a pencil. Merida stood with Rapunzel and Jack behind the table, watching as their friends stepped forward one at a time to sign the parchment, wanting to be a part of their crazy idea. Tadashi, Snotlout, Emma, and Flynn were among the first people to sign their names, quickly followed by everyone else in the room. Most of the fifth-years were there, except for a select few, and so were all of their older friends. Despite Jack's attempts to keep it secret, Emma found out and she, along with a couple of her year-mates, were there. By the time everyone had their name on the list, a buzz of excitement had worked up in the room, and Merida found herself answering questions with a certainty she hadn't felt five minutes prior.

"So, where are we going to meet?" Violet wanted to know, earning several agreements and seconds to her question.

"We aren't sure yet, but we are going to need a place to practice, and it has to stay a secret." Merida replied, unable to offer much more assurance.

"What about the Shrieking Shack?" Mavis suggested excitedly.

"No," Jack shook his head. "It's too small, and there's a good number of us."

"There's always the Forbidden Forest." Emma piped in, but Ruff and Tuff scoffed.

"Come on, isn't that a bit obvious?" Tuffnut asked.

"Must be if you picked up on it." Ruffnut smirked at her brother, giving his arm a punch. Tuff gave her a shove with one hand and continued.

"I mean, even if it was just one person, wouldn't someone notice a student sneaking off into the Forbidden Forest everyday?" Tuffnut said, and Emma stared at him with an extremely dry look that made Merida chuckle quietly behind her hand.

"While there's a lot of room for debate there, they do have a point." Astrid sighed in reluctant agreement. "With so many of us sneaking off into the forest, someone's bound to notice."

"But what happens if Tremaine does find us?" Fishlegs asked, his finger twitching and twirling nervously in front of him.

"Who cares?" Rapunzel returned, surprising everyone with her beaming expression. "I mean, this is sort of exciting; Breaking the rules!"

"Who are you and what have you done with Rapunzel Corona?" Jack smiled teasingly, and everyone chuckled as Rapunzel grinned.

Soon after that the meeting drew to a close, and they all went off to spend the rest of their weekend searching for a place to hold their Secret Dueling Club. Several ideas were brought up through whispers in the hallways or behind doors, but nothing seemed to be far enough out of Lady Tremaine's ever-expanding reach. It wasn't until late on the following Monday that Fishleg's came running into the smallest Study Hall where Merida was sitting with Jack, Rapunzel, Emma, Astrid, and Snotlout.

"Fishlegs?" Astrid raised an eyebrow at her fellow teen-viking, who was bent over his knees trying to catch his breath.

"I -I got lost on the seventh floor!" Fishlegs managed to get out between his gasping breaths, and they all looked at each other in confusion before looking back at Fishlegs questioningly as he continued. "I was wandering around for an hour, and then it just suddenly appeared!"

"What did?" Merida asked, sitting up straight in her seat. Her muscles coiled, ready to spring into action, but then Fishlegs smiled through all of his panting.

"You guys need to come see this."

* * *

"You did it, Fishlegs!" Rapunzel breathed in wonder as she gazed at the strange and unfamiliar room before them. "You've found the Room of Requirement!"

"The what?" Snotlout's brow scrunched in confusion as they all stood by the closed door, examining the room before them.

"It's also known as the Come-And-Go Room." Rapunzel told them. "The Room of Requirement only appears when a person has real need of it, and it's always equipped for the seeker's needs."

"So, say you really needed the toilet?" Snotlout suggested, looking at everyone else for confirmation.

"Charming, Snotlout, but yes. That is the general idea." Astrid rolled her eyes, but conceded to the example.

"It's brilliant." Merida said with a small grin, gaining all of their attention. "It's like Hogwarts wants us to fight back."

It didn't take them long to spread the word to the rest of their group. Within a day of finding the Room of Requirement they had a meeting day and time, and everyone was made aware of when and where to meet. By mid-week they were all gathered for their first official meeting in the Room of Requirement, but there was a bit of a stall at the beginning where no one was really sure what to do, so Merida stepped forward and instructed everyone to get in a line to go over the basic disarming spell on one of the wooden targets that had appeared in the room.

She wasn't exactly sure how it happened, but she ended up at the front of the line with Fishlegs. He'd always excelled in classes like History of Magic, Herbology, and even Potions, but Defense Against the Dark Arts had never been the larger viking teen's strong suit, as proven when he attempted the disarming charm on the wooden statue and his wand was sent sailing over the heads of everyone behind them until it thunked against the back wall.

"I'm hopeless." He muttered sadly, turning back towards Merida.

"No, you're just flourishing your wand too much." Merida encouraged him, and then raised her own wand. "Try it like this; Expelliarmus!" She exclaimed, giving her wand a firm flick, and with a flash the statue's fake wand went flying out of it's hand and off into space.

Fishlegs wasn't able to get a hang of the charm, but his wand didn't go flying out of his hand anymore by the end of the lesson, so Merida took that as a small victory, especially since the rest of her schoolmates seemed to take to the charm rather easily. All in all, the first lesson was a good one, and the three decided that Merida would teach dueling techniques while Rapunzel coordinated meetings and Jack made sure their little hideaway stayed secret from Lady Tremaine.

All the while, they were all jumping back and forth from their own secret meetings and their regular classes, which were becoming less and less magical by the day.

"You will, please, copy the approved text four times. To ensure maximum pretension." Lady Tremaine instructed during their following DADA class. "There will be no need to talk." She said as she passed Jack's table.

"No need to Think, is more like it." Jack muttered behind her back, not trying very hard to hide it, but still keeping his voice low. Luckily, Tremaine was distracted almost immediately by Ruffnut quietly practicing the wand movement for the disarming charm down by her side.

"Wands away." The Lady told her, and Ruffnut reluctantly complied.

At their next meeting, Merida decided to go over Stunning, and had everyone form two lines facing each other. She asked for a volunteer, and several people raised their hands, so Merida scanned over them before motioning to Gustav to come out and give it a try. She had him stand on one end of the dueling strip their peers had created, and as she walked to her side she gave a short lecture.

"Stunning is one of the most useful spells in your arsenal. It's sort of a wizard's bread and butter, really." Merida explained before turning to face Gustav again. "So, um... Come on, then, Gustav. Give me your best shot."

Gustav paused for a moment, his expression twisting into one of uncertainty and slight disbelief. The moment passed, he glanced over at some of his year-mates who gave him thumbs up or playfully teasing remark, and he seemed to calm himself down before taking a deep breath and giving his wand a mighty swing.

"Stupefy!" He cried, and Merida felt as if something had rammed into her torso as she flew backwards, hitting the ground hard. But Gustav wasn't prepared for the backlash of the spell, and he, too, went flying backwards onto his back.

"Good." Merida managed to gasp out as she struggled up to her feet. "Not bad at all, Gustav."

Gustav only sat up and looked a cross between curious and miffed as he squinted at his wand in betrayal.

Merida decided to move on before he started arguing with it and called out for two more volunteers to try the spell in Dueling fashion. Flynn and Rapunzel stepped up for this round, and Flynn took a moment to speak with Rapunzel before heading off to his side.

"Don't worry." Flynn assured her gently, giving her his signature 'smoulder'. "I'll go easy on you."

"Thanks, Flynn." Rapunzel replied a little dryly, giving her eyes a tiny roll, and Merida snorted.

As they separated, everyone got back into their two lines to watch. Several calls went out, cheering on one or the other, and there were giggles and jitters of excitement racing through everyone. Merida couldn't help but overhear Snotlout and Fishlegs making a bet.

"One sickle." Snotlout wagered.

"You're on." Fishlegs whispered back with a confidence rarely seen in him.

There was a moment of silence as Flynn and Rapunzel faced off against each other, wands at the ready, and then Flynn raised his wand, taking a breath, only for Rapunzel to give a fast flick of her wand and call out with a strong voice, "Stupefy!"

Flynn flew back with a loud cry of surprise and hit the ground hard while Rapunzel straightened with a small smile on her lips. Snotlout passed a sickle over to a smugly smirking Fishlegs, bitterly mumbling, "Shut up, Fish-Face."

Flynn picked himself up, trying to walk it off without showing the effects of the strongly produced spell, meanwhile Rapunzel was surrounded by all of the other girls and they started giggling excitedly together. Merida even went over and gave her slap on the back for a job well done.

At the end of the meeting, Jack had everyone leave through a side door, explaining that Lady Tremaine's recently hired 'extra-security' was sitting in the hall, staring at the wall where the main door appeared when they needed it. The 'extra-security' went by the name of Chi-Fu, and was as painfully correct and proper as Lady Tremaine herself. He was slowly taking over Mr. and Mrs. Crood's jobs as Grounds Keeper and Keeper of the Keys. The Care of Magical Creatures class had been disbanded a week after Chi-Fu's arrival. Luckily they were able to sneak away without the newest Ministry addition to the school even knowing.

As the weeks passed and the days grew colder, they were all very aware of Lady Tremaine becoming more and more suspicious. She enacted a new rule that students would submit for questioning about possible illicit groups, active immediately. Rapunzel was forced to change several meeting times as large chunks of their group went missing at various days and times to answer Lady Tremaine's summoning to her office, but they still managed to keep meeting despite the long lines of students waiting wearily outside of Lady Tremaine's door.

"Now, focus on a fixed point. Try again." Merida told Fishlegs at another one of the meetings.

"Expelliarmus!" Fishlegs exclaimed, swinging his wand. The hand movement had improved greatly, but was still a bit bigger than it needed to be, and there wasn't even a spark of light from his wand. He dropped his arm, sighing heavily.

"It's okay, just keep trying. It'll come." Merida said, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder before moving off to help another group who were practicing their levitation with Jamie as their liftie.

As troublesome as the changing meeting times and sneaking around could be, Jack took some pleasure in tormenting Chi-Fu. He slipped sleeping droughts into the man's canteen when he wasn't looking, and left trick candies signed 'from Lady Tremaine' that gave him disgusting, boiling pimples. Every day brought a new trick, and Jack confided to Merida that all of the ideas were ones he'd shared with Hiccup. Jack told her that he was giving his best friend a small form of justice by sticking their old pranks to the people who refused to continue looking for him.

To Lady Tremaine, this must have been incredibly frustrating, as she set out a new rule following the pimple prank; any students looking for extra credit could join the Inquisitorial Squad by signing up at the High Inquisitor's office. Students like Gabby Numeral and Daren Fouls signed up immediately.

To Merida, though, Jack's inner thoughts were a bit of an inspiration. Justice for her friend and everyone else who had been hurt by Pitch and the Ministry's lack of action was in order. Whatever happened to Hiccup, they had to keep fighting, so they could hopefully bring him home, one day.

"Working hard is important." Merida said at the meeting following her talk with Jack as she weaved about her classmates, adjusting grips, stances, and wand angles while everyone continued practicing all of the spells they'd learned. "But there's something that matters even more: Believing in yourself." She stopped to see Honey Lemon knock Wasabi onto his back with the stunning spell. "Think of it this way; every great wizard, or witch, in history started out as nothing more than what we are now," Merida continued, walking underneath Johnny as he was levitated in the air by Mavis. "Students." She finished, turning to face the whole room. "If they can do it, why not us?"

The next meeting after that they decided to try a practice circle. A wooden statue on wheels was in the center, and whoever it went towards had to ward it off with a spell of their choosing. The favored spells were Expelliarmus and Stupefy, knocking the statue back forth to new people in the circle. Finally it went tumbling towards Emma, and the girl gave an elegant flick of her wand.

"Reducto!" Emma articulated and, with a flash of light, the statue burst into ashes, leaving nothing but a pile on the ground. Jack look at his sister with slight astonishment as Macintosh stepped to the side a bit to give her some more space. Emma just smiled confidently as Cupcake and Venelope cheered for her while the rest of her year-mates were left in jaw-dropped shock.

The meeting after that they were back to practicing in pairs again, Merida deciding the circle was best done once a week to evaluate growth and improvement. She was making her usual rounds, going pair to pair, doing more watching the adjusting now that they'd taken to all of the instruction. She eventually found herself beside a very determined looking Fishlegs.

"Expelliarmus!" Fishlegs called with a perfect flick of his wrist, and Tuffnut's wand went flying out of his hand as both Tuff and Ruff, who was standing beside him, looked upwards to follow the wand. There was silence in the large room, and Merida grinned.

"Fantastic, Fishlegs!" Merida exclaimed, squeezing his shoulder in praise as everyone snapped out of the shock and rushed forward to congratulate their blushing friend. "Well done!" Merida told him, and then stepped back to let him enjoy the cheering of his schoolmates all around him.

At the end of the meeting, Merida stood facing everyone with Jack and Rapunzel on either side of her. "So, that's it for this lesson." Merida announced as everyone gathered round. "Now, we're not going to be meeting again until after the Holidays." Several groans of disappointment followed this, but Merida just couldn't stop smiling. "So, just keep practicing on your own as best you can, and well done, everyone! Great work!"

Applause followed her short speech, and Jack and Rapunzel gave Merida a light nudge and a smile, expressing their pride and approval of how she was handling things. She nodded in return, knowing she wouldn't have been able to do any of this without them. Wouldn't have even thought to try it, really.

As everyone started to disperse, collecting their things and leaving one-by-one or in small groups, Merida went off to the side with Jack and Rapunzel where they watched quietly, occasionally giving answers to a couple of people who came to them with questions, or falling into easy conversation themselves as they waited for everyone to slowly make their way out of the Room of Requirement.

Eventually there were only a couple people left, and they all filed out nicely, leaving only the three, and Astrid, who had wandered over to the large mirror in the corner. Merida turned to Jack and Rapunzel, exchanging a look.

"You two go on ahead. I'm gonna stick around for a few minutes." Merida told them, and Jack nodded as Rapunzel gave her a big hug.

"See you at dinner, Merida." Rapunzel said with a wave, and the two went off into the school as Merida turned and walked towards Astrid.

"I heard Lady Tremaine gave you a bit of a hard time yesterday." Merida remarked, looking at the mirror where they'd pinned several important newspaper clippings and a couple of pictures; the most prominent one being a moving picture of Hiccup. It was a simple picture, he was outside and he was smiling.

"Nothing I couldn't handle." Astrid replied gruffly, glancing over to meet Merida's gaze. "Besides, it's worth it..." They both looked over at Hiccup's picture. "Learning all of this... Makes me wonder if he'd known it."

"Hiccup? Hiccup knew all this stuff!" Merida smiled fondly, her eyes swelling a bit at the memory. "He was really good. He helped Jack, Rapunzel, and I whenever we needed it. Everything I've been teaching is just... what he showed me, really." Merida shrugged, looking at Astrid. The other girl remained silent, staring at Hiccup's picture with an unreadable expression. "...How are things? On Berk, I mean..."

"Quiet. Grey. A lot like here." Astrid responded. "Stoick's different, too. Angry, and sad... Gobber used to sing all the time when he worked, and I used to think it was the most annoying thing, but it feels awful never hearing it anymore..."

"...You miss him." Merida whispered, and it wasn't a question. Astrid gave a clipped nod.

"Pretty ironic, right?" She murmured. "I never thought losing someone would hurt this bad. Especially not someone I left behind so many years ago..."

They fell into a tight silence, both of them tense with the effort of keeping their emotions in check. Minutes ticked by, both of them lost in their own thoughts, and then Merida looked at Astrid once more.

"You know, he never once said anything bad about any of you." Merida told her, and Astrid looked genuinely surprised by that. "In fact, whenever he talked about you there was always admiration in his eyes. He resented any of you, and you shouldn't blame yourself for what happened." Merida gave a soft chuckle as she realized how true her next words were. "He wouldn't want you to."

With that, Merida picked up her bag and walked away, leaving Astrid to her own thoughts in the Room of Requirement.


	16. The Dragon's Den

**Music:** "Dragons Den" - John Powell (How to train your Dragon)

_NOTES: "He's smart, and He's growing stronger every day..."_

**Chapter 16: The Dragon's Den**

The ocean was a brilliant dark blue, shining with the weak light from the sun as it peeked around the large grey clouds in the sky, assuring the crew of the BlueBlazer that winter was still among them. The cold air nipped at their skin and whipped the sails, but they'd been lucky in avoiding winter storms thanks to Eret's navigational skills.

Hiccup stood at the back of the upper deck, waving goodbye to the neutral trade-ship they'd just spent the last hour doing business with. As the two ships parted in opposite directions on a peaceful afternoon, Hiccup finally turned and smiled as Toothless jumped down next to him from somewhere between the sails where he'd been hiding while they were making trades.

"I'm gonna kill him!" Talia screamed, her fists clenching tightly around the edges of the newspaper she was holding.

"What is it?" Eret asked as he peered over her shoulder, and Hiccup scampered over with Toothless close on his heels.

"Humongous! That rat-eating, munch-bucket!" Talia shouted, glaring at the paper. "In the Hero's latest interview with the Daily Prophet, Humongous told the spectacular tale of his latest adventure in the far north." She read. "'I'd had the fortune of coming across a riddle that would lead whoever could decipher it to a grand treasure!' Humongous shared. 'I decided to go in search of the treasure so that I could donate the gold to the poor orphanage in that very same town. It didn't take me long to find a crew willing to help, but when I figured out where the riddle was leading us, the evil pirates made me walk the plank! I was left to drown for three days, swimming endlessly as I tried to chase after the pirates through shark infested waters in the middle of a hurricane! When the storm finally parted, I came upon a stranded trade ship known as the Blueberry.'"

"What?!" Eret snapped, grabbing the paper out of Talia's hands and scanning the page to find the offending statement. "That spineless barnacle called _My Ship_ a fruit?!"

Talia snatched the paper back and kept reading. "'I called out to the crew and they were kind enough to pull me aboard. I met the Captain of the ship; an old drunken man who was never seen without a bottle or two. Then I met the first mate, a fat, lazy boy who went by the name of Tom!" Talia growled as Eret and Hiccup peeked over to see the paper. The article featured some very bad drawings, drawn by Humongous himself, and it was painfully obvious he'd modeled his first two characters off of Eret, and then Talia, and then Hiccup looked on in horror as Talia continued. "'Finally I was introduced to the eight-year-old Cabin Boy; Kitty, the impossibly small son of the abusive Captain. Naturally, I was horrified when I was offered the full services of their Cabin Boy, and immediately began planning how to rescue the child.'"

"Cabin Boy?!" Hiccup sputtered, his cheeks coloring red at all the implications. Toothless growled at the paper, curling his lip back in his anger.

"'After rallying the crew of the trades ship, we sailed towards the treasure, catching up to the evil pirates who had found the treasure, but were stranded because they were too busy arguing over the treasure to sail their ship.'" Talia rolled her eyes. "'Single-handedly, I battled the vicious pirate crew and came out victorious! For their help, and in trade for the poor Cabin Boy, I offered the tradesmen a small portion of the treasure. The poor orphanage received enough gold to support all of the children for the next five years, including the little Cabin Boy who found a home there.'"

"That lying sack of shit!" Eret cursed, and the crew grumbled in agreement.

"A Fat Boy?! And Lazy?! I'm lazy?! That coward wouldn't know productive if it slapped him in the face!" Talia shouted, crushing the paper between her hands and then throwing the long, crumpled piece of paper to the deck of the ship.

"You think you two have it bad? He called me an eight-year-old boy whore!" Hiccup blurted out, his face turning a bright red in embarrassment.

"Humongous had better hope we never cross paths again." No-Name fumed, and a muttering of agreement flittered across the crew who had gathered around during the twisted story. No one was happy about Humongous's slander. They may be a crooked bunch, but they were a good bunch.

"Alright, alright!" Eret stepped in, waving all of them to stand down. "Humongous is just a petty fraud, and dwelling on this won't do us any good. We still have a long way to go to make it to the Southern Ports, and we're not going to be able to stop much throughout the Northern Kingdoms with the dragons on board, so we'd best get to work and make this a fast trip! Check the riggings, and get our speed back up!"

Everyone drifted away, cooling down a bit after hearing their Captain's reason. Hiccup climbed up the mast, moving between the sails, masts, and ropes with Toothless and Sharpshot. As the day went on and the ship settled into a constant speed, the work slowed a bit, needing only small adjustments every now and then. Hiccup swung down from the masts, no longer needing enough adjustments to warrant staying up there and also knowing he could easily be back up in the sails within a few seconds if need should arise.

Eventually, the sun started to sink down towards the horizon line, and Eret called for the crew to split into groups for dinner and night shifts. Dinner was a hearty stew and bread they'd managed to get from the tradeship earlier that day.

Hiccup wandered off to the side after collecting his dinner, leaning against the railing on the side of the ship as he looked out over the water, cupping the warm bowl of stew in both hands. Toothless looked at him, and then gobbled down the rest of his fish before walking over to sit beside Hiccup, his tail curling around the boy's feet.

 _"What's the matter? You're brooding."_ Toothless said, leaning down to nudge Hiccup's cheek. The boy chuckled and rubbed the dragon's snout.

"Nothing," Hiccup murmured with a heavy sigh. "It's just crossing through here makes me nervous. We're at the center of the Archipelago right now..."

 _"They wouldn't come this close to the nest. Not in the middle of winter."_ Toothless soothed, extending his wing to wrap around Hiccup and keep him warm. _"We've only escaped the worst of it for this long by staying in the eye of the storm."_

"I know, I know." Hiccup said more to himself than to Toothless, leaning into his dragon's warmth and trying to convince himself of Toothless's sound reasoning.

Berk was only a few hours passed the horizon line that Hiccup was currently looking at. It was ridiculous, but being that close to his island childhood home, his thoughts were clouded with all the heavy regret and guilt he'd managed to push to the back corners of his consciousness in the past few months.

He couldn't help wondering what had happened since he left. How everyone was doing. Did they even care that he was gone? Maybe, but they were better off without him. Despite the endless guilt weighing down his shoulders and heart, he couldn't deny the truth; he Liked being a Pirate. He was good at it. His wit was regularly exercised, and sometimes even challenged, something that almost never happened at Hogwarts, and the freedom of it all was more than he could've ever dreamed. He never stopped missing Jack, Merida, Rapunzel, his other friends, his family, but that was a price Hiccup was willing to pay. As long as he stayed away, they'd all be safe.

 _"SHUT UP!"_ Hiccup flinched as the memories flashed in his mind and across his vision. He saw a splash of red and almost gagged as his ears ached with the noise of shattering glass. His shoulders curled in as he gripped his Left wrist tightly in his right hand, pressing it close to his chest.

 _"It wasn't your fault."_ Toothless's voice was a whisper and he pressed close to Hiccup, offering all the _Comfort_ he could. Hiccup squeezed his eyes shut and tightened his grip on his wrist, biting his lip to keep from trembling.

"Hey, Cat," Talia's voice came from behind them before either could say anything else. Toothless eased back with a small nuzzle, and Hiccup took a deep breath to steady himself, opening his eyes just as Talia leaned back against the railing beside him. She looked at him with a gentle, questioning look. "Everything alright?"

"Of course!" Hiccup replied with a forced smile. "Why would anything be wrong?"

"Because we're in the middle of the Barbaric Archipelago, home to the Seven Viking Tribes of the North." Talia told him without a need to elaborate any farther.

"Wow, not even going to try for subtlety, are we?" Hiccup remarked dryly, rolling his eyes and then letting his gaze drop to the water below them. Talia looked at him for a long moment, but kept her back against the railing.

"Rule number thirty-eight," Talia said, her gaze drifting away from Hiccup and out over the deck. "Put the Past Behind You and Never Look Back." She pushed off the railing and turned to face Hiccup fully. "You can't change the past, but you can make a better future for yourself, take it from someone who knows." She offered a small smile, and Hiccup returned it with genuine warmth, though it faded slightly after a second.

"I know I can't go back, but there's still a part of me that hopes that could change. That I could see them all again one day..." Hiccup murmured, his gaze lifting to the dark horizon line, knowing in his heart that he was looking in the direction of Berk.

"Maybe you will, but you have to live through today to see tomorrow." Talia told him, watching as No-Name and Ug started singing Pirate songs with their arms thrown over each others shoulders. "Other people may call this strange, but I'm really glad you and Toothless kidnapped me four months ago. If only for what we've got now." She spoke softly, a small smile crossing her lips.

Hiccup looked at her a moment, and then turned halfway to look at the rest of the crew, their friends. They were all sitting in a giant circle, Ug and No-Name standing as the lead everyone in song, swaying slightly because of whatever was in the bottles they were holding in their free hands. Tiny was strumming along on a Lute, and Eret was leaning back against the main mast, watching and smiling, occasionally joining in for a few verses.

"Yeah, this is pretty great." Hiccup agreed, smiling at everyone gathered around after the evening meal.

"It's little, and broken, and even a little weird, but it's ours. And we found it all on our own." Talia said, her eyes bright in the warm glow of the lanterns hanging around the ship.  
"Ohana." Hiccup supplied, and Talia looked at him curiously.

"What?" She asked.

"Ohana." Hiccup repeated. "It means Family, and Family means Nobody Gets Left Behind, or Forgotten."

"Family, huh?" Talia muttered, and then grinned widely. "That sounds about right. You're the youngest, and I'm the big sister, and Eret's the dad." She chuckled a little with the last one, and Hiccup laughed with her.

"I'm sure he'd love to hear that! I can already hear him; 'I'm not that old!'" Hiccup imitated and grinned back at her as they both laughed together. "And Toothless and the other dragons are the family pets." He suggested, earning an affectionate hair rustle from Toothless who crooned happily.

"I never thought I'd find a family in a bunch of pirates. That _I'd_ become a pirate." Talia admitted quietly, remembering something Hiccup couldn't see. "But things are so Different out here. I never expected to have people looking out for me the way you guys do..."

"I know how you feel, believe me." Hiccup nodded, turning fully to lean back against the railing next to Talia.

They fell into a comfortable silence, watching the rest of their make-shift family burst out into another song. However, before they got through the first verse, a sharp sneeze and a burst of smoke from the opening to the belly of the ship. Hiccup, Toothless, Talia, Eret, and the rest of the crew rushed over to the grate, throwing it open to see what happened. Hookfang, Stormfly, Meatlug, and Barf-Belch were all tucked inside the hull of the ship, wriggling around and looking a little cramped.

 _"Keep your twitching tail out of my face, Barf!"_ Hookfang snapped, nipping at the tail that was still lying a little too close to his nose.

 _"It wasn't mine! It was Belch's!"_ Barf bit back before shooting a glare at his other half.

 _"Was not!"_ Belch argued.

 _"Enough!"_ Toothless barked, getting all of their attention. _"It's been a long day, but you still need to keep your heads, or you'll burn down the ship down."_

"What's wrong?" Eret asked, looking at Hiccup. "Have they been down there too long?"

"We have been taking a bit more time because of the storms. I think a flight to stretch their wings might help." Hiccup noted, looking up at the sky and sniffing the air to check the weather.

"I don't think any Vikings will be sailing out in this winter. They're all tucked in their homes, hiding from the snow and hail." Eret muttered thoughtfully, rubbing his chin. "If you think it's best, I won't stop you. I don't think it's fair to keep them own there as it is."

"Are you sure? What about other pirates, or tradeships?" Talia questioned warily as Sharpshot crawled up onto her shoulder and yawned, obviously not as interested in flying as the other dragons.

"The tradeships have all finished their routes and weighed anchor for the season, and the only pirates I would consider being a problem would be Alvin, and he's still repairing sails back on Outcast Island." Eret assured her and nodded to Hiccup.

"It's the middle of the night, and there's enough cloud cover that no one will be able to see us. And there's a break in the storms right now, so we should be safe. We'll fly for an hour or two to stretch and be back in no time." Hiccup smiled, rubbing Toothless's head.

Within fifteen minutes, Hiccup and all five dragons were climbing high into the sky, the cool night air rushing passed them as a refreshing wind, rustling Hiccup's hair and clothes. Large clouds offered them lots of cover, and dampness of the night soaked in fairly quickly. They swooped, tumbled, and whirled through the air, occasionally bursting into random games of chase and such, and Hiccup found himself relaxing into the feeling of freedom that had enveloped him the moment they took off.

Closing his eyes and lifting his chin, Hiccup took a deep breath of the wind rushing all around him, loving the feel of it all. He opened his eyes as Toothless turned and arched into a lazy loop, head over tail, and Hiccup reached his arms over his head, stretching his fingertips as far as they would go until they leveled out with the others among the clouds with a million stars glittering all around them.

They steadied themselves into an easy glide next to Hookfang and Stormfly while Meatlug and Barf-Belch flew just a little below and in front of them. It was the kind of gentle flying Hiccup and Toothless would fall into whenever Hiccup found himself needing to think, and now was no exception.

His thoughts drifted to everything Talia had said, telling him to leave the past in the past and focus on where he was now. He knew she was right, and he wanted to take her advice, but he also knew a part of him would always belong to his friends, and part of him would always belong to Berk.

His eyes scanned the horizon, fixating on the little yellow-orange dot in the distance. Completely invisible to anyone on the water, but up in the sky it ranged just inside the edge of a dragon's eyesight: the guard statues of Berk. Hiccup's heart twisted painfully in his chest, and he forced himself to look away.

Suddenly Hiccup's ears twitched as a song of a thousand droning voices seemed to creep through the air, stinging the ears of anyone who might hear the wretched song. His eyes shot wide open, and his whole body tensed as Toothless's ears wiggled and his eyes searched the clouds.

"Toothless, what is that?" Hiccup asked, feeling panic rise in his throat as his instincts screamed _Danger_ and _Obey_ at him at the same time.

 _"Trouble. Stay low, Hiccup, and don't make a sound."_ Toothless ordered, and Hiccup did as he was told, ducking down and pressing close to Toothless's back as the others fell in all around them, creating a protective circle around him.

They flew into a wall of thick fog, and an electric hum of anxious energy shot through Hiccup's veins. More and more voices echoed in Hiccup's head as more and more dragons appeared in the fog all around them. The dragons growled and snapped at each other whenever they got to close, their anxious energy crackling in the air, all of their voices muttering as they flew.

Hiccup looked around as hundreds of dragons surrounded them, all flying in the same direction. He noticed a Monstrous Nightmare carrying a sheep. Others carried more sheep, fish, seals, mutton. All of the food Hiccup had known to go missing after raids on Berk, and almost instantly he knew what was happening: the dragons were hauling in their kill.

"Toothless!" Hiccup hissed, but Toothless gave a firm shake of his head and a snort.

 _"Stay quiet! They can't know you're here!"_ Toothless warned, and Hiccup inhaled sharply at a sudden dive down to the water. They swayed side to side as they weaved around seastacks just above the water until they reached the shore of an island volcano, the mountain looming over them even through the fog. Hiccup's muscles coiled under his skin as _Dread_ and _Danger_ pooled in his stomach.

They climbed upwards to the entrance of a tunnel halfway up the mountain side. It was dark, but Hiccup could still see, his magic burning just underneath his skin and his heartbeat racing in his chest until it stopped when the darkness was broken by a red glow at the end of the tunnel. Reaching the end of the tunnel, they flew out into a giant cavern at the center of the volcano, a thick fog blocking the view of whatever lay below as all of the dragons flew over the pit, dropping all of the food they carried down into the hole.

Hundreds of thousands of dragons lined every single ledge and flat surface, but Toothless was looking down, his eyes darting this way and that as he scanned the red-glowing fog below. Hiccup stayed low on Toothless's back, trembling as his blood turned to ice but his magic burned like fire from his very core.

"What my dad wouldn't give to find this." Hiccup whispered to himself.

As all the other dragons flew over the pit, dropping food into the fog, Toothless followed the flow, and then cut out just before the pit, looping around the edge of the entire cavern before landing behind a large stone pillar. Toothless looked out and around before backing into the shadows again, keeping himself and Hiccup completely hidden as Hookfang, Stormfly, Meatlug, and Barf-Belch landed on more open ledges around them, drawing attention away from their hiding place.

"Well, it's satisfying to know all of Berk's food has been dropped down a hole." Hiccup muttered dryly as he continued to watch dragon after dragon drop food into the pit.

 _"We never eat any of it."_ Meatlug whispered almost silently, sounding scared, just as the last of the dragons flew off after dropping their share.

After a moment, an extremely slow Gronkle grumbled it's way out to the center of the pit. Opening his enormous jaw, the Gronkle yakked, and half of a regurgitated fish slipped out and off his tongue into the hole. He proceeded to scratch behind his ear with his back foot, but a moment after the fish dropped into the pit, a bellowing roar echoed throughout the cavern, chilling Hiccup to the bone and sounding like an angry shriek in his ears. The Gronkle slumped in disappointment and started to lumber away with his tiny wings, but then a giant head shot out of the fog and snapped it's jaws closed, eating the Gronkle whole.

Hiccup's heart stopped in his chest.

All of the dragons started pulling back and away from the edges, hiding in tunnels and caves out of sight as the colossal beast sank back into it's fog covered lair, but it stopped halfway, taking a sniff of the air. He felt a twinge in his instincts, and Hiccup's heart leaped into a racing pound.

"Toothless, we've got to get out of here!" Hiccup breathed, so terrified he couldn't manage the urgency he felt.

 _"I SMELL A HUMAN!"_ A scathing, scratching snarl rattled in Hiccup's mind, and he gasped in pain.

"Now!" Hiccup yelped at Toothless, and his faithful Night Fury leaped into the air just as the massive beast lunged at them, snapping it's monstrous jaws.

A flood of dragons swirled towards the top of the volcano as the behemoth awkwardly climbed upwards, trying to chase after them. It snapped it's jaws again, catching the tail of an unsuspecting yellow Zippleback that it dragged down into it's pit.

Hiccup and Toothless shot out of the top of the volcano and flew away from the island as fast as they possibly could without leaving Hookfang, Stormfly, Meatlug, and Barf-Belch behind. Hiccup was breathing so hard, he couldn't seem to catch his breath, even as they stopped to rest on top of a large sea-stack. Hiccup pushed out of his saddle and paced on shaking legs as all of the dragons gathered around, just as exhausted and anxious.

"Toothless," Hiccup finally said, looking at his dragon in utter bewilderment. "What was that?"

 _"...Queen Kappi, the Red Death."_ Toothless sighed heavily, sitting down as exhaustion overcame him. _"She is one of the rare Alpha Dragons, and was once the most respected Warrior of our world."_

"Do all Alphas enslave the dragons in their nest?" Hiccup wanted to know as questions raced through his mind.

 _"No. Alphas have always protected us, ruling peacefully, and mostly indifferent about other creatures like humans, but Kappi's mind is not what it once was."_ Toothless explained gravely, his eyes shadowed by memories. _"I've been told that Kappi was once a kind ruler, but that all changed during the Dark Ages. A time when humans only just arrived to the Archipelago, and Kappi was driven mad by the Darkness. She believed the humans were at fault for bringing the evil into her hunting grounds, and ignoring the other Alphas warnings, Kappi waged war against the Vikings. For seven generations, Kappi has enslaved her dragons, forcing them to hunt for her, even if it means destroying a Viking village."_

"Why aren't all of you affected by her magic, then? Shouldn't you all have been enslaved as soon as you heard her call?" Hiccup inquired, looking around at all of his dragon friends and remembering with a chill the pull he felt earlier.

 _"When we were taken from the Archipelago to journey to your school, Kappi's control over us was broken, and when you freed us, we escaped to Dragon's Edge, outside of her territory."_ Stormfly offered slowly.

"But why didn't it work this time? Shouldn't she have regained control?" Hiccup continued to question, and Hookfang, Stormfly, Meatlug, and Barf-Belch looked nervously at Toothless. Hiccup looked at Toothless, and their eyes locked, perfectly mirroring one another.

 _"We no longer belong to Kappi's nest. We belong to the nest of Dragon's Edge, just as you do."_ Toothless told him, but Hiccup could feel he was purposefully not saying everything. Hiccup bit his lip, a million thoughts fighting for attention in his mind, and eventually he decided it best to stop digging for answers he might not actually want to hear.

"So, what do we do now?" Hiccup demanded, shoving his hands into his hair as he started pacing again. "We can't just let Kappi continue enslaving dragons and forcing them into a senseless war! We have to do something!"

 _"Not at this moment."_ Toothless calmed him, getting to his feet and walking over to Hiccup. _"We need to go back to the ship and talk about this. Kappi is dangerous, and we have to tread carefully here."_

Knowing he was right, Hiccup took a deep breath and gave a small nod before climbing back into the saddle. Toothless jerked his head, motioning for the others to follow, and they all took off from the sea-stack, angling in the direction from where they'd come. Hiccup leaned closer to Toothless as they flew, and Toothless hummed gently to offer some comfort.

There was a tense feel among them as they flew through the night, and Hiccup just hoped they could get back to the ship before all of the thoughts in his head caused him to hyperventilate. He just couldn't make them stop, and there were so many different voices; His father and friends from Hogwarts who he missed with all his heart, Talia and the BlueBlazer crew who he had come to consider family, Toothless and the other dragons, Pitch Black, his own questions that seemed to have no answers, Lady Fate, his possible destiny...

The storm clouds of thought parted as adrenaline shot up Hiccup's bloodstream, and Toothless tensed before throwing them into a barrel role to avoid three arrows that shot passed them.

"Hostile ships!" Hiccup shouted after seeing the boats on the water below.

They all dove into evasive maneuvers, avoiding arrows, nets, and the occasional stone that was launched into the air. Hookfang burned straight through one of the nets, and Stormfly met four arrows with four spines. Barf-Belch avoided a stone, and used their gas to camouflage themselves in the clouds. Meatlug, however, only just escaped two arrows before getting caught by a net.

Within seconds, Meatlug was plummeting towards the ocean waters below. Without even needing a glance, Toothless and Hiccup tipped into a nose dive, chasing after the net-bound Meatlug. Hiccup pulled his dagger from his belt and leaped out of the saddle, catching the net and cutting through the ropes as fast as he could.

As soon as there was a big enough hole, Meatlug threw the net off of her and fluttered upwards as she shook out. Hiccup continued falling and looked up at Toothless who was right behind him. They locked gazes, and Hiccup straightened out as Toothless closed the distance between them. Hiccup grabbed hold of the saddle and they pulled up just above the water, causing a spray of water on either side of them. Hiccup grinned as they swooped and weaved between the hostile ships as men yelled at each other all around them. They escaped the three ships and shot upwards.

What they did not expect was the fourth ship that came out of the fog. Toothless gave a sharp stop, and Hiccup followed his lead by throwing them into a backwards flip-turn, only to find the other three ships closing in around them. Hiccup leaned back and angled his foot as Toothless threw his tail down and pumped his wings, propelling them straight upwards.

Hiccup bit his lip as arrows zipped passed them, but his heart dropped when a net appeared directly above them. Toothless roared, and Hiccup squeezed his eyes shut as the ropes wrapped entirely around them and they lost complete control, falling directly onto the deck of the lead ship.


	17. Seer's Fire

_NOTES:_ Love is a Fire, but whether it will Warm you, or Burn you, one can never tell...

**Chapter 17: Seer's Fire**

Snow and icicles glittered in the faint sunlight that streamed through the heavy clouds, and the light breeze across the field was icy cold. Jack didn't mind, though, walking in the snow with bare feet and his light, summer robes. The cold didn't bother him, it was actually comfortable, and he took deep breaths of the frigid air as he made his way down the side of the hill, heading for Mr. Crood's hut on the edge of the forest.

He expected to find the Ground's Keeper without too much trouble. Thanks to Lady Tremaine canceling the Care of Magical Creatures class, due to some debate rising in the Ministry over whether magical creatures were safe enough for witches and wizards to interact with or not, Mr. Crood was left with quite a bit of free time.

Jack hoped that his former teacher might have some insight on an incident with what he thought might be a connection to Hiccup's disappearance. So, the Winter Sprite continued on down the hill to the little hut next to the pumpkin patch, and within five minutes he was standing on the small porch, knocking on the heavy wood door.

Mrs. Crood appeared in the doorway and smiled warmly when she recognized him. "Hello, Jackson. What brings you here?"

"I was hoping to talk to Mr. Crood, if he's here. I just have a couple of questions, and I think he can help me come up with some answers." Jack replied, offering her a smile of his own.

"Of course, dear! Come on in, and I'll start the kettle for some hot chocolate." Mrs. Crood bustled as she moved aside to let Jack in.

The hut was small, but cozy with furs and large furniture everywhere. Mr. Crood was seated in a giant, comfortable armchair with a stone and a chipping tool, but when he looked up to find Jack inside his house, Mr. Crood set aside his project and turned his attention to the young Slytherin.

"Jack, good to see you!" Mr. Crood greeted, gesturing to a wooden chair with a cushion placed on the seat, and Jack took the offered chair.

"Good to see you, too, Mr. Crood. How have you been?" Jack inquired, hoping that the Croods were still doing well despite Lady Tremaine's partial dismissal.

"Oh, as well as it can be. At least I still have a job. Personally, I'm more worried about Edna. Lady Tremaine's still trying to get power over us teachers, and the only thing stopping her is Professor North." Mr. Crood sighed heavily, steepling his fingers together and looking Jack in the eye. "But, I'm guessing you're not here just for a friendly chat. What can I help you with, Jack?"

Jack bit his lip and fidgeted for a moment under the large man's gaze, but then the Sprite straightened his spine and met him gaze-for-gaze. "The dragons that escaped from the arena last year," Jack started quietly. "How did they escape?"

Mr. Crood paused, looking over at his wife as they shared a darkened expression. The Care of Magical Creatures instructor rose from his chair and wandered over the fire, using the poker to shift the logs and create more coals with the charred wood. He was silent for a long time, and Jack began to wonder if he was gathering his thoughts, or if he had chosen to ignore the question all together.

"...The official report says that the dragons escaped by burning away the locks on the cages." Mr. Crood said, but his voice was devoid of emotion and he kept his back to Jack, preferring to face the fire.

"I'm not sure I believe that." Jack replied steadily, and Mr. Crood let out a dry, humorless chuckle.

"You kids are too smart for your own good." Mr. Crood told him, slowly turning to face Jack again. His expression was tired, and he looked as if he had aged ten years in the past five minutes. "We are inclined to believe that the dragons broke out of their cages because the damage done to the locks matched their individual fires. Blasted away by immense heat, destroyed by the sheer force of an explosion, melted by flames so hot they're like lava. They each matched perfectly... But the blasts came from outside the cages."

Jack's fists clenched in his lap, unsure of whether he should be happy about his theory being confirmed or not. "They were sabotaged."

Mr. Crood nodded grimly. "There's no trace of who or how, but they obviously knew the dragon species well enough to mimic their fires with specific spells."

"Do you think this has any connection to what happened to Hiccup? Do you think the person who freed the dragons sent one of them into the school?" Jack questioned, knowing already that Mr. Crood probably didn't know much more than he did.

"I honestly don't know, Jack." Mr. Crood admitted with a slow shake of his head. "There's no way of knowing if the dragon that got into the school was even of the same species, let alone the very same ones we had locked up. But if you're asking my opinion, well, I don't think anyone could fool themselves into thinking those two events were just coincidence."

* * *

His stride was long and crisp, carrying him quickly through the halls of the castle as the conversation he had with Mr. Crood replayed in his head over and over again. They both knew that the incidents were related somehow, but there was a piece missing in the puzzle. A link of chain that disappeared. A gap of information.

Jack had to find out who, or what, tied both mishaps with the dragons together. But that also meant finding out exactly what happened that night in the boy's bathroom, which could only lead him to one source; one he had been trying to avoid.

He could only hope his intentions were well-received.

The library wasn't too crowded when he walked in, only a couple of first and one or two fourth years milling about or occupying one of the larger tables. Jack made his way towards the back of the first floor where all of the advanced books and texts would be kept. As he expected, as soon as Jack rounded the corner of the last bookshelf he found Tadashi and Wasabi talking to each other as they pulled books off the shelf to add to their already large stacks.

"Jack! It's been a while." Tadashi smiled, his mouth pulling into a friendly and welcoming smile.

"What brings you to the library?" Wasabi inquired, another friendly smile crossing his features, but Jack couldn't help wondering how long they would last.

"Well," Jack started, scratching the back of his head a bit awkwardly. "I actually came to find you, Tadashi... I need to talk to you."

Wasabi looked at Tadashi and then back at Jack, repeating the looks a couple of times in his uncertainty, and yet Tadashi just sighed, his shoulders drooping low as his eyes were cast down at the floor.

"I knew you'd eventually ask about it, and I don't mind, really. I understand completely, it's just that I've already told the Professors everything I can remember, Jack." Tadashi told him, looking a little ashamed. "That night is just one big blur, I can barely remember anything."

"I know, I just -Can you walk me through it? Just whatever you can remember, to make sure the file isn't missing anything." Jack asked, and Tadashi hesitated a moment before releasing a soft breath and nodding.

The three students moved off to a secluded seating area just off to the right of where they'd been standing, and after they were comfortable Tadashi began recounting his memories of that night with Jack and Wasabi. He told them about making his patrol of the castle for that night, about seeing Hiccup stumbling in the hallway and following him into the bathroom, and then everything happening so fast with a shout, an explosion of pain, and then a white flash...

"After that I was waking up in the infirmary with Aunt Cass and Hiro." Tadashi finished with a light grimace, knowing already that it wasn't much to go off of.

"It's still not adding up, though." Jack muttered, rubbing his temple as he thought over everything he had learned.

"Well..." Wasabi started, but immediately trailed off. He was too late, however, because both of the other boys had heard him and were now giving him their full attention. After a long silence, Wasabi huffed. "Alright, I didn't want to give you any crazy ideas, but... Why not go back to the sixth floor boy's bathroom? It's still off limits to the students because everyone's been so busy with the scandal and then Lady Tremaine, no one's cleaned it up. You might be able to find something."

Tadashi gave a lopsided smile as Jack grinned. "How did I not think of that? I'll see you guys later, I've gotta go check it out!"

"Hey, wait up!" Tadashi called out before Jack could get too far away, and the Winter Sprite turned back to see the Ravenclaw collecting his bag. "I'm coming with you. Maybe being back there will help me to remember something."

"You don't have to do that, Tadashi." Jack tried to assure him, but the older boy shook his head.

"I want to. If there's any chance that Hiccup's still out there, then I want to help you find him, in any way I can." The Ravenclaw smiled determinedly, and Jack could only nod happily. They both turned to Wasabi, who was silent for another moment before throwing his arms up in the air.

"Fine, fine! I'll come too! Just the way I wanted to spend my day, walking around some creepy abandoned bathroom." The larger boy grumbled as Tadashi and Jack chuckled.

Within a few minutes the three of them were off to the sixth floor, and after a bit of a walk, they found themselves standing outside the sixth floor boy's bathroom. The place where the events of that dreaded night took place. They exchanged a few slightly nervous looks before steeling themselves and going into the bathroom, ducking under the rope strung across the doorway with a sign that read; 'do not enter'.

The lavatory was dark with only the minimum amount of grey-ish light seeping in through the small windows at the very top of the back wall. The shattered glass of over thirty mirrors lay across the floor, like a bed of blood-drawing-sharp crystals. There were stains of dried blood, splattered and dripped in specific places, and Jack had to take deep breaths to keep his mind from producing a thousand different versions of what might have happened in that room.

A thin layer of dust covered everything, letting them know that no one had entered the room since the initial investigation. Wasabi made a gagging noise and shuddered violently after running into a large cobweb, and Tadashi peered into the cracked mirror by the door, obscuring any image that might have been seen at the door, yet not shattered.

Jack stopped at the center of the front of the room, just before the bed of glass. He was mindful of where he walked in the hopes of leaving without any glass shards stuck in his bare-feet. Wasabi and Tadashi came over and joined him, all of them facing the open space of the bathroom.

"Is anything coming back to you?" Jack asked, turning his head to look at the Ravenclaw Prefect.

Tadashi didn't answer right away. He slowly and carefully walked forward a few steps, a couple pieces of glass crunching underneath his shoes. He stopped when he stood between the first two mirrors of the U-formation they created.

"I was standing here." He murmured, his eyes locked on the sink straight across from him at the very top of the U. "And Hiccup was there. Something was... Off. I just knew something was wrong."

Tadashi's eyes became unfocused as he tried to remember that night more clearly. Wasabi sighed quietly, and Jack couldn't blame him, but the Sprite couldn't help noticing a ledge up above the very back sink where Hiccup had been standing according to Tadashi.

Taking a firmer grip on his staff, Jack swung up into the air and flew over the shattered glass, looking around for anything that might be of significance. He noticed a few scraps of green material here and there, no doubt torn from one of Hiccup's favorite shirts or his darker green pants. After a few minutes of looking around, Jack flew up to the ledge, perching there to take in the crime scene from a different angle. He could feel the gears turning in his own head and stared down at the scene below with a furrowed brow.

He reached out to put his hand down, intending to shift into a more comfortable sitting position, but instantly yanked his hand back up when he felt a texture he was quite familiar with but hadn't expected in the boy's bathroom: sand. Black sand.

There, beside him, on the ledge, was a small dusting of black, shimmering sand.

"Pitch." Jack whispered, his eyes wide and his heart thumping in his chest. He wasn't sure if he should be happy about his new discovery, or terrified of what that might mean for his missing best friend. "Hey!" He called out to the others with only a small shake in his voice. "I think I found what we were looking for!"

* * *

After packing as much of the sand as possible into a small vial, Jack and the two Ravenclaws raced to the Room of Requirement in the hopes of finding some members of the Secret Dueling Club. Jack crossed his fingers as he ran as fast as he could through the halls, hoping that Rapunzel and Merida would already be in the disappearing room.

When they reached the corridor, Rapunzel was on her way out to resume her duties at the infirmary for the day, but Jack quickly grabbed her arm, telling her it was important, and dragging her into the room with him as Wasabi held the door.

Once inside, Jack called out for Merida, who was helping some second years, and all practice in the room stopped as Merida and Rapunzel stood in front of Jack with questioning looks.

"Well, what is it?" Merida wanted to know.

"This." Jack said, holding up the vial of black sand for the two girls to see. "We found it in the sixth floor boy's bathroom. Pitch was there that night, and if anyone knows what really happened to Hiccup, it's going to be him."

"Pitch Black was behind everything, then?" Snotlout demanded, his fingers curling into fists so tight that his knuckles popped.

"We don't know that for sure." Wasabi answered quickly in the hopes of calming down some of the excitement. "The only thing this proves is that he was there that night, which means he'll at least know what happened to Hiccup."

"Well, then? What are we waiting for?" Astrid growled, her grip on her wand tightening until her knuckles turned white.

"Let's go find this creep and get some answers." Gogo agreed, receiving many cheers of agreement as a response.

"Hold on a minute, let's not lose our heads!" Rapunzel called out, trying to keep herself calm. "Remember this is Pitch Black we're talking about, one of the three Sorcerers in the whole world. We can't just plan to go head-to-head with him like it doesn't mean anything! Honestly, do we even know where to start looking?" She looked at Jack for this, knowing already that he was going after Pitch. He'd been waiting for any kind of proof that Pitch was involved with Hiccup's disappearance, no way was he going to stop when he was so close to getting some answers.

"Uh..." Jack paused before glaring down at the floor as he tried to think of a reasonable response. The silence of the room seemed to press in on him as he realized everyone was waiting for his answer with baited breath. He wracked his brain for any idea of to find Pitch, but planning and strategy wasn't something he was good at. That had always been Hiccup's area of expertise.

"I might be able to help with that." Merida suddenly spoke up, surprising everyone. She glanced around quickly before letting out a huge rush of air. "I've been having more dreams lately, and I wanted to ask Professor North about it, but he and the other Guardians left so suddenly I never got the chance... I think Pitch is looking for something, I just don't know what. I might be able to figure it out in the Fire if I had something of his..."

"Would his sand work?" Jack immediately offered, holding up the small vial.

"It's not much, but it's worth a shot." Merida shrugged, turning and heading over to the fireplace as everyone moved aside to give her space to work. "We've been working on this kind of Divination for a while now, and Professor Robinson considers it the most reliable."

"And yet you were so deep in denial over the fact that you were a Seer during third year." Jack chuckled, and Rapunzel giggled quietly, too.

"Oh, shut up." Merida rolled her eyes with a slight smile as she opened her bag and pulled out a few things she needed.

She sprinkled some sage leaves over the fire, whispering a few words, and the flames flared and sparked, turning a vibrant blue color. The same blue as the Will O' the Wisps that they saw a few years ago. Opening the vial, Merida slowly poured the black sand into the Fire, and flames lashed out, licking the air and sending heating flaring through the room as the dust settled in the fire.

Once the blue fire was a steady blaze, Merida murmured a lot of words that Jack couldn't make out or understand, and then she stuck her hands into the Fire. There were several gasps, multiple flinches, and even a short scream as Merida's hands went into the Fire, consuming them, but not burning them.

Merida's eyes went blank, almost a solid blue with no white or pupils, and her jaw hung open just slightly as she stared at something that they could not see. The Fire swirled and dances up her arms and around her wild mess of curls. Everyone waited, not even daring to breath, as Merida searched the future through the Fire.

They watched the awe-striking spectacle for what felt like hours, but was really only a few minutes. When Merida withdrew her hands from the Fire, the flames died down and returned to the orange and red colored hues. Everyone seemed to gasp for breath at the same, relieving moment as Merida took a moment to recollect herself after the extremely strenuous spell, Rapunzel hurrying over to offer the Gryffindor some water and healing if she needed it.

"I know where he's going..." Merida gasped out after taking a long gulp of water. She looked at Rapunzel and then over at Jack before continuing. "He wants something from the Ministry of Magic. I don't know which department, but I'd know the door if I saw it."

"The Ministry of Magic is all the way in the Capitol. How are we going to get there? Lady Tremaine would throw us all in detention if she caught us trying to leave, and now the only ways in and out of the castle are fully monitored by her stupid minions like Fouls." Eep pointed out.

"Not every way." Jack smirked widely, his eyes sparking. "Lady Tremaine's private office is still connected to the Floo Network."


	18. Escape From Hogwarts Castle

_NOTES:_ We spend our whole lives searching for what we think we want, Never really knowing what it is we're looking for...

**Chapter 18: Escape From Hogwarts Castle**

_She was floating, high up in the air with a bird's-eye-view of the rolling hills, the castle upon the hill, the small village at the foot of the hill, and greats fires burning as amber stars, scattered along the earth and burning away the darkness of the night, throwing long shadows across the land._

_Slowly, she noticed that the earth was getting closer and closer until she was swooping over the destruction of the ravaged and torn village, the burning castle left behind her. Her eyes flicked left and right as she tried to take it all in, a scream getting stuck in her throat as she recognized the scorched buildings and splintered shop signs of Hogsmeade._

_The closer she got to the center of the village, the worse the destruction became and the bigger the fires grew. She felt sweat beading on her brow as the heat pressed in, suffocating anyone who dared venture to close._

_And then she saw the lone figure standing at the center of all the devastation. It was too dark for her to get a clear look, but as she continued to get closer and closer to the figure, seeming to move faster and faster without her control, she noticed the figure was small, wearing what looked like Hogwarts robes, but something was wrong... The robes, they looked wet, and Merida swore that, in the flickering of the firelight, the were flashing a sickeningly dark red._

_Then she flew to the figure, only stopping when they were face-to-face, and at the same time the blood-soaked boy looked up with bright green eyes..._

Merida woke with a start on the couch in the Gryffindor common-room. Her stomach was uncomfortably tight, her throat felt as if it had been stuffed with cotton, her eyes burned, and her heart ached in the same way it had when they first received the news of Hiccup's disappearance.

The Scottish Princess quickly blinked away her watery eyes and slowly pushed herself up into a proper sitting position as Astrid and the twins came down the stairs from the dorm rooms. Merida locked gazes with Astrid, and the two Gryffindor girls nodded to each other.

It was time.

Ruffnut and Tuffnut lead the way out of the Gryffindor commons as Merida followed behind a bit more slowly with Astrid beside her. A tense air sat heavily in the atmosphere of the castle, pressing down on them as they made their way down to the meeting place at the final landing of the moving staircases just above the entrance of the Great Hall.

Jack, Tadashi, and Jim were already silently waiting for them, their expressions tight but steady. Merida nodded to Jack, stopping beside him, and he gave her a clipped half-smile. She knew he had probably been pouring over all of the information he had on Hiccup's disappearance since their meeting in the Room of Requirement nearly five hours ago, but she wouldn't call him out on it. They all needed to prepare for this in their own way.

Quietly they waited another few minutes before Rapunzel and Flynn appeared at the bottom of the stairs, apparently having come from outside. Despite the crowds of students flowing into the Great Hall, Rapunzel and Flynn hurried up the single flight of stairs to reach them at the first landing of the moving staircases.

"Sorry we're late. We were out on the lake." Rapunzel told them, her eyes darting to Flynn before quickly looking away.

"What were you doing all the way out there?" Astrid asked in gruff, but gentle voice that sounded exhausted and yet guarded. Mostly curious, though.

"Oh, well, uh..." Rapunzel stumbled over her words, pushing a lock of hair behind her ear as she took a deep breath. "In Corona we have this belief, I guess, that if someone you love is away... or lost, lighting a lantern and letting it fly will give them a light to follow... Guide them Home..." Rapunzel rubbed her upper arm, and then looked at them with a weak smile. "Normally, we wait until the Festival of Lights, but I thought now might be a good time." She murmured. Then she looked up at Flynn, and Merida swore she saw a light blush across her cheeks. "I went down to the lake, and Flynn happened to be there, too, and he was kind enough to take me out on Mr. Crood's boat to the center of the lake."

"I thought you didn't believe in that kind of stuff?" Jack said, looking at Flynn in both confusion and slight amusement.

"Well, not usually, but I figured for a friend, anything is worth a try." The traditionally cool and uncaring Slytherin shrugged, surprising Merida, but then he continued on with a somewhat louder voice. "Besides, with your track record, I figured our little group could use as much help as it can get!"

They all chuckled at that, but then the school bell donged somewhere high in the towers, telling them it was six o'clock and time for the dinner feast. They exchanged several tense looks, and Jack nodded. They made their way into the crowd of students still filing into the Great Hall, blending into their own housemates and walking off to their own tables, waiting for the signal for the plan to start.

The Great Hall was bleak and quiet as everyone shifted nervously, sitting down and trying to stay silent as Lady Tremaine loomed over them from her place on the dais, standing with her hands folded neatly in front of her and her head turning slowing from left to right as she looked at each of the Houses' tables.

Merida settled at the Gryffindor table, Astrid and the twins on either side of her as everyone sat in the uncomfortable silence of the dinner feast. The dais remained mostly empty; The Croods and Professor Edna no longer attending the feasts. The Guardians were also missing on account of some important mission or another, hunting Pitch Black while what Professors were left struggled to maintain Hogwarts with Lady Tremaine breathing down their necks.

She knew that the sooner they dealt with Pitch, the sooner Hogwarts would return to normal, but Merida couldn't help feeling that they had been abandoned. The adults refused to let them take part in what was happening because it was dangerous, yet they were already dragged into it. Merida snorted bitterly at that thought, they became apart of it when Hiccup was taken from them. That's why they were going to take matters into their own hands. Tonight.

Of course, Merida wasn't quite sure what the signal they were waiting for was because Jack had conspired with everyone staying behind to formulate the distraction idea while she and Rapunzel worked out the details of their escape with the others that would be accompanying the three of them. But Merida was still curious as to what her Winter Sprite friend had come up with, especially considering the fact that he had almost quit his pranks entirely since the Hiccup incident.

She didn't have to wait long as the temperature of the Great Hall suddenly began to drop, catching the attention of several students. After a few moments, a loud bang echoed from the other side of the massive doors of the hall. Everyone looked at the doors and then around at their classmates in confusion, only to have their attention caught by two more bangs against the doors.

Lady Tremaine, looking mightily upset and confused, descended from the dais and walked down the center aisle of the Great Hall. When she reached the doors, she used her wand to slowly open the doors, only to have them shoved wide open by a tidal wave of Winter Pixies. The little devils flooded into the Great Hall, icing and frosting everything they touched, throwing miniature snowballs, hexing the sky charm of the roof to make it snow. Within just a few moments the ground was covered in at least half a foot of snow and everyone had gotten up, screaming and laughing as they played in the white powder. Merida found herself laughing as she caught one of the delicately crafted snowflakes in her cupped hands, and then she looked over at Jack.

He stood slightly to the side, watching everyone have the most Fun they'd had since before Hiccup's disappearance, but the smile he wore was bittersweet. He met Merida's eye, and something Merida couldn't put into words passed between them. It filled Merida with a renewed determination and fire for their mission tonight. Anxiety be damned, they were going to find Pitch and they were going to make him talk.

Merida gave a firm nod to Jack, which he returned, and then the two turned to blend into the crowd, sneaking towards their pre-designated escape routes. While Lady Tremaine and the few teachers that still attended the feasts were distracted by the chaos of the Winter Pixies and excited students; Merida, Rapunzel, Jack, Astrid, Flynn, Tadashi, and Jim were all able to make it out through one of the three exits in the Great Hall without drawing any attention to themselves.

While the others went for the main entrance and the door behind the dais, Merida and Astrid took the side exit beside the Gryffindor table, escaping into a stairwell that Merida knew would drop them in the same hall as the entrance to the kitchen. They hit the stone floor running and didn't stop until they'd reached the open courtyard in the West Wing of the castle where the others were already waiting for them.

"Let's go!" Jack said, keeping his voice low as he lead their group into a corridor off to the side without a moments hesitation. They needed to get out of the castle before Lady Tremaine, or anyone else, noticed they were gone.

They came to a sharp corner where, instead of turning left to follow the corridor, Jack turned right to face the stone wall. He gripped his staff and traced out a swirl across the bricks, and then a grouping of the stones separated from the wall, revealing a secret passage. Jack grabbed the disappearing door and held it open as Merida and all the others filed into the passage, climbing and steep and narrow stair shaft on the inside.

Merida lead the way up the flight of stairs as Jack brought up the rear. They reached the second floor without trouble, and Merida peered out of the secret passage, careful to make sure the coast was clear before slipping out of the passage and waving the others through. As soon as Jack was through the exit, they shut the passage and started down the corridor to Lady Tremaine's office.

Rapunzel reached the door first and cast an uncertain look over her shoulder at them before pulling out her wand and using a search spell to check for other magic. She revealed two protection spells and an alarm hex that Tadashi and Jim were able to slowly dispell with the proper counter-charms. Once the door was freed of all magic, Flynn stepped forward and used two small, metal sticks to pick the lock. The door swung open and they all hurried into the office space. Jack reached the fireplace first with Merida only a step behind and they knelt in front of the hearth as a fire magically flickered to life without a prompt.

"Alright, remember the plan." Jack whispered to all of them. "Once we get there, we wait for everyone to make it through the Floo network, and then we stick together. No one goes off on their own."

They all nodded their confirmation and agreement as Merida grabbed the small chest next to the fireplace and opened it. Inside the chest was Lady Tremaine's Floo Powder supply, and their ticket out of the school.

"And where exactly would you be going?" They all whirled around to look at the door that had been left open behind them. There, in the doorway, was Lady Tremaine and a few of the Student Inquisitors lead by Daren Fouls.

"You see, my Lady! I knew I saw them sneaking around!" Daren crowed, sneering at their small team as Lady Tremaine folded her hands in front of her, her cold eyes raking over each of them.

"Yes, thank you, Mr. Fouls. You've done very well." Lady Tremaine nodded her head to the boy standing slightly behind her. Then she turned her stone-like expression towards them, her perfectly plucked eyebrows drawn together in a slight furrow. "As for all of you; I certainly hope there is a good explanation for all of this." The Lady slowly started to take menacing steps forward. "A planned attack on the school, sneaking away from your authorities, breaking into your professors private office and unauthorized use of the Floo Network. The Ministry will not look kindly upon such blatant delinquency." She paused in her words as she rounded the corner of the desk, facing them as Merida and the others all backed away into the corner, the fireplace between them. "Some may even conclude Treason." Her hand slipped out of the folds of her skirt, revealing her wand within a tight grip.

"Should've suspected it from the likes of you!" Fouls grinned nastily as he and the other students under Lady Tremaine's lead blocked the other side of the desk to keep them from escaping.

"You were going to Pitch Black, weren't you?" Lady Tremaine questioned them, an odd look coming over her features. Something that was laced with fear as the hand that gripped her wand trembled at her side. "You were going to feed him information about the Ministry. You're in league with his army." She accused them as they all froze, looking at each other in confusion and uneasiness.

"We are NOT working with Pitch." Jack growled back, stepping forward to face the woman. "We're going after him to get answers!"

"Liar!" Lady Tremaine hissed, her wand snapping up to point right between Jack's eyes. Jack jerked backwards, but stayed in front of the group as he faced off with Lady Tremaine. Merida felt a shiver run down her spine at the look etched across the woman's features, but Lady Tremaine recollected herself, straightening and placing the sickeningly sweet smile back on her face. "Very well," She said, her wand still pointed at Jack despite her smoothing out of her expression. "You give me no choice. Since this is an issue of Ministry security, you leave me with no alternative. The Cruciatus curse should loosen your tongue."

"But that's illegal!" Rapunzel protested while Flynn held his arm out in front of her to shield her from Lady Tremaine.

"What Prime Minister Frollo doesn't know won't hurt him." The woman said softly, as if trying to reassure herself more so than them as she moved the picture of the Prime Minister on her desk to place it face down. Fixing her eyes back on Jack, her wand began to shake with the trembling of her hand, and their small group pressed as far back into the corner as they could as Tremaine and the student inquisitors closed in around them.

"Ventus Duo!" Suddenly a huge gust of wind flooded into the room, throwing Lady Tremaine into the wall, and she fell to the ground, her wand clattering away from her across the stone floor. Daren and the other inquisitors whirled around to see who was responsible, and Merida lunged forward.

"Locomotor Mortis!" She shouted, flickering her wand towards Daren. Immediately his legs locked together as he tried to turn, causing him to fall, crashing into two of the other inquisitors. The fourth one jumped back and moved to cast a spell of her own, but Jack quickly shot an ice blast at her wand arm, freezing it to the wall behind her and forcing her to drop her wand.

Merida looked towards the door and was surprised to find Snotlout, Fishlegs, and the twins standing there with Cami and Honey Lemon watching their backs. Snotlout smirked, crossing his arms over his chest as he put his foot on Daren's back to keep him from struggling to his feet.

"You guys go on ahead." Snotlout grinned. "We'll take care of this!"

"Nice one, Snotlout!" Astrid said as they all grinned. Jack simply nodded to his fellow Slytherin and rushed back to the fireplace where the green flames still burned, waiting for them.

"Be careful." Merida told the viking teens and Honey Lemon as the others followed Jack. "And make sure you get out of here before Lady Tremaine wakes up."

"Aye, no need to worry about us. You just stay focused on finding that cowardly bat that calls himself the Nightmare King." Cami assured from her place in the doorway.

"If we're going we better go now while we have the chance." Jim recommended, and Merida hurried over as Jack set the chest of Floo powder on the desk.

"Alright, you all know the plan," Jack confirmed, opening the chest and taking a handful of sand-like powder. "Let's go find Pitch Black."


	19. You're Not a Viking

_NOTES:_ I don't know who I am supposed to be. I don't know what I am supposed to be. All I know is that I Am Lost...

**Chapter 19: You're Not a Viking**

The ocean was quiet, only gently rocking the blue-sailed ship as the majority of the crew slept. Three passengers of the vessel stayed awake, however; one of them tucked up in the crow's nest, the second looking out over the ocean from the side of the bridge, and the third slowly making his way up the stairs from the deck.

"Bit of a cold night." The Captain said as he climbed the last few steps onto the bridge. He walked over to join the auburn-haired girl in leaning their elbows against the railing of the ship so that they could look out at the water. "Shouldn't you be in bed?"

"I could ask you the same thing." Talia replied, her eyes staying fixed on the water and the reflection of the night sky across it's surface. Sharpshot lay snoozing across her shoulders.

"Fair enough." Eret shrugged, looking down at the girl beside him and watching her for a moment before continuing. "What's eatin' at you, kid?"

"A lot, actually." She admitted, turning her head to look up at him with a questioning look; her brow furrow and eyes guarded. "But how can I know if I can trust you?"

"There's not many ways to find out." Eret answered evenly. "And I'm guessing the 'blind faith' method hasn't treated you well in the past."

"How'd you guess?" Talia asked dryly, turning her eyes back to the water as she puffed out a humorless laugh.

"...You're smart and careful." Eret told her. "You've got the attitude of someone who's been double crossed more than once."

Talia took a shaky breath in and wrapped her arms tighter around herself, leaning further against the railing as her brow furrowed at the reflective water below. She watched her own image for a while, trying to gather her thoughts and even out her breathing as Eret waited patiently for her response, standing completely still and silent.

"Back on Skullion island: you came back for me. You risked your life to save me, and you said you'd never leave me or Cat behind. Why? What did you mean by it?" Talia wanted to know, but she had turned her head away from him, unable to look at him even in her peripherals.

"I'm not entirely sure I understand your question." Eret told her with a wry sort of smirk that was promptly ignored.

"Why put yourself at risk for me like that? For Cat? Why take such an interest in two odd-ball kids that got dropped in your lap? And why make me a pirate? Me, of all people!" Talia questioned, her fists clenching as her eyes shifted between the water and facing away from Eret. Occasionally he could see her eye straining to look at him from the very corner of her eye-socket.

He stood there, looking at her, for a very long, silent moment. His face was unreadable and he kept his arms crossed in front of his chest, giving away nothing about what he was thinking or feeling. Finally, he took a breath in.

"Because I know how it feels when it seems the world has turned it's back on you." He said, placing a gentle, comforting hand on her shoulder as he smiled softly. Talia turned and looked up at him again, surprised, but before she could ask any more questions a loud screech split the air, and both their heads snapped up to look at the sky.

Stormfly landed hard on the deck of the ship, panting hard as Hookfang, Meatlug, and Barf-Belch dropped down around her. Sharpshot squawked back and shot forward, off of Talia's shoulders and to the other dragons. With Cat and Toothless nowhere in sight, Talia and Eret looked at each other and then rushed forward.

Hookfang was roaring and pacing around the deck, his whole body sparking with flames that licked at the ends of the sails dangerously. Talia went up to him and slowed, catching his attention with out-stretched hands. The Monstrous Nightmare flamed-down, but still rumbled with his agitation until Talia stepped forward, rubbing his snout soothingly and calming him down. His growls lessened to quiet whines and worried gurgles as Talia looked over at Eret, who had gone to quiet Stormfly. The two humans shared a look of understanding; Talia's expression betraying her by showing her fear while Eret's hardened to the point of looking angry.

"Teeny!" The Captain roared, catching the attention of the man dozing in the crows nest. "Wake up the crew! Tie down the sails! We've got trouble!"

"Aye-Aye, Captain!" Teeny saluted and then swung onto the ladder to slide down to the deck of the ship so he could run off to the bunks where the rest of their crew lay sleeping.

Talia cast a final look at a worried looking Hookfang before following after Eret who was already stalking up the steps of the bridge as men woke up and started shouting to each other as they rushed to prep the ship for travel.

"We have to find them." Talia said as Eret took the wheel, the sails billowing loudly as the wind caught in them.

"I know." Eret said, the tension thick in the air.

They both knew what would happen to Toothless and Cat if they were captured by Vikings, but neither of them could bring themselves to voice their concerns out loud as The dragons started to take to the air, hovering around the ship in their anxiousness to lead them to wherever Toothless and Cat had been separated from the flock.

Talia just hoped that they weren't already too late.

* * *

Hiccup pulled and fought against the ropes dragging him towards the gangplank that bridged the gap between the dock and the ship, but his struggling did little with his captors being three times his size.

All around him there was shouting, metal clanging, sails whipping, ropes hissing, hearts pounding, blood rushing. He was getting dizzy from it all and a cold, icy fear gripped him as he was half pushed, half carried down the gangplank while Toothless, trapped and restrained on a wooden platform, was lifted off the ship by a cargo moving apparatus.

The island felt cold and grey, the harsh winds of the Archipelago whipping around them as they stormed through the village in what felt like slow motion. The sharp, angled peaks of the mountain loomed over the village menacingly, and whispers and sneers echoed in his ears as he was paraded along the path to the Great Hall of the village atop one of the mountain plateaus. The large, heavy doors were pulled open by three men on each side, moving slowly as the giant hinges groaned and shrieked. The inside was a simple structure; a large, ovalish room with thick pillars to support the stone roof, dimly lit by torches and the hearth at the center of the counsel table. He was pulled around the large gathering table to the foot of the dais where there stood a throne with a cloaked figure seated in it.

Hiccup was pushed forward and he fell to his knees on the hard, stone floor. His hands were bound behind him with rope, his green shirt was rumpled and fraying at the edges, his darker green pants were also fraying and the right leg had a four inch slit on the side from where it had torn, his feet were bare, and the wrappings on his left arm were worn. The once crisp, white bandages were now colored with age and ripped and threading at different points. Though they still held, Hiccup felt a lump forming in his throat as his instincts continued to scream at him: _Fight! Fly! Escape! Danger! Danger! Danger!_

But he continued trying to breath and calm his heartbeat; There was still hope that the old Chief might have a heart willing to listen to him.

Toothless was rolled into the Great Hall on the platform used to restrain him, and the Night Fury growled at all the large, scowling men around him. Hiccup could sense the _Rage_ and _Worry_ rolling off of his dragon in waves, and he wished he had better control over his own emotions so that Toothless wouldn't be so distressed by the cold and unyielding _Fear_ that gripped Hiccup's chest.

"Presenting the high Chief of the Berserker Tribe! Cracker of Skulls! Slayer of Beasts! The Great and Fearsome: Dagur the Deranged!" The herald announced, confirming the nightmare Hiccup saw before him.

"D -Dagur?!" Hiccup choked, his mind unable to process what was happening as the teenaged Chief stood at the top of the dais, glaring down at him with a wicked grin and a sinister chuckle.

"Ahh, Hiccup." Dagur, Chief Dagur, practically purred, popping the 'P' at the end. "You know, when my men told me they'd shot you, Little Hiccup, the Son of the Hairy Hooligan Chief, out of the sky, I thought they'd all gone mad! But then I heard about the... _saddled_ Night Fury and it got me, well, uh, kind of tingly." Dagur said, walking down the dais while keeping eye contact with Hiccup, but then turning to look more closely at Toothless, who growled.

"Dagur, where is Chief Oswald?" Hiccup wanted to know, desperately hoping that the older Chief was still somewhere on the island and might be willing to hear him out.

"My Father has been... Retired. He's lost his taste for blood. I, on the other hand: Starving!" Dagur told him, ending his sentence in a sing-songy voice. "But you..." he continued softly, turning to face Hiccup with a distant and unreadable expression on his face. Something... crooked. "They said you were dead. They said you were killed by a... Dragon." He trailed off, his eyes rotating to shift between Hiccup and Toothless.

"Dagur," Hiccup stuttered on a shaky breath. "I -I know this looks bad -"

"You lied to us all!" Dagur exclaimed loudly, turning to fully face Hiccup, his brow furrowed into a furious glare. "You _Betrayed_ us!"

"I didn't -!" Hiccup tried to explain, but Dagur immediately cut him off.

"You chose that beast! The monster! Over your own people!" Dagur accused, his teeth grinding in a snarl and his nostrils flaring as his face turned red with anger. "You're a _Traitor_ to all the Seven Tribes of the Archipelago!"

"No!" Hiccup shouted, finally gaining some of the louder boy's attention. "I- I know I screwed up! I, I -I -I -I should have told someone before now! I -just -you -!" Hiccup exhaled a sharp and shaky breath in frustration before looking up to meet Dagur's gaze, pleading. "Take this out on me! Be mad at me! But, _Please_ , Just don't hurt Toothless!"

"The dragon?" Dagur asked incredulously, as if he couldn't believe what he was hearing and had to clarify. "That's what you're worried about? Not the hundreds of people you've _helped_ to kill by hiding this beast from your own brethren!?"

"He was just protecting me! He -He's not dangerous!" Hiccup tried to explain, tried to make him see that Toothless wasn't the _Dangerous_ one.

"They've killed hundreds of us!" Dagur spat, pointing his axe furiously at Toothless.

"And we've killed thousands of them!" Hiccup shouted back even louder. "They defend themselves, that's all!" Realizing that yelling his head off probably wouldn't help him much, Hiccup drew back a little as he continued. "They raid us because they have to! If they don't bring enough food back, they'll be eaten themselves. There's... Something else on their island, Dagur, i-it's a dragon like we -"

"They're _Island_?!" Dagur interrupted, his eyes glazed over and blazing as he leaned closer to Hiccup. "So you've been to the Nest." Dagur whispered, a slow, crazy smile sliding across his lips as he slowly stepped closer and closer.

"Did I say 'Nest'?" Hiccup asked aloud as he shrunk back and down into himself as Dagur towered over him, still moving closer as he was trapped on his knees on the cold, hard stone.

"How did you find it?" Dagur demanded, grabbing the back of Hiccup's head and gripping his hair in his large fist.

"No!" Hiccup yelped as he felt his head get yanked back so that he couldn't look away from Dagur's eyes. Eyes stained with insanity. "I -I didn't!" Hiccup gasped, his heart pounding and head spinning as he tried to think of a way out of this terrible situation. "Toothless did! O-only a Dragon can find the island."

Dagur pulled back a little, his demented gaze shifting to look at something in the distance behind Hiccup. But the dragon-boy saw the exact moment that the idea sparked in the young Chiefs mind.

"No... No, no. Dagur, please, it's not what you think. You don't know what you're up against! It's like nothing you've ever seen!" Hiccup tried to reason with him, but Dagur ignored him and started walking towards the entrance of the Hall as if in some sort of trance. "Dagur! I promise you, you can't win this one!" Hiccup shouted, wriggling around to follow Dagur with at least his sight. "Dagur!" Hiccup tried once more.

And for one horrifying moment, it wasn't Dagur's back walking away from him. It was Jack. It was North. It was his Dad...

"For once in your life would you please just listen to me!" Hiccup screamed, somehow he found his feet under him and threw himself forward, chasing after Dagur, but he hadn't even made it two steps before two of the other Berserkers grabbed one of his arms each and threw him back onto the ground.

He hit the stone floor hard on his back, and his head made a sickening crack sound against the rock. He gasped and whined as he curled into himself, rolling back onto his knees as pain spasmed through his entire body. His frame shook as he barely managed to lift his head enough to look up at Dagur, who had finally seemed to snap out of his trance and turned to face him again.

The look on the Berserkers face made the little pirate's stomach drop.

"You could have been my brother, Hiccup. But now? We're enemies." He hissed, "You're not an Heir... You're not a Viking." Then he addressed his men. "Ready The Ships! And bring the Night Fury! We sail for Helheims' Gate!"

Loud cheers and battle roars met his words, the echoes shrieking inside of Hiccup's ears as his heartbeat racked his body.

"What should we do with the Traitor, sir?" One of the men asked, sneering at Hiccup with a sickening grin.

"Lock him in a cage; just like the beasts he chose over his people." Dagur decided after a moments consideration, and was met with more shouting and yelling that grated against Hiccup's senses. Dagur grinned as a new thought came to him, and he continued. "When we return from the Nest, victorious in battle, we will bring the Traitor to face trial on Berk!" More screaming. "And when the other tribes see the failures and betrayal of the Haddock House, I, Chief Dagur of the Berserker Tribe, will become King of the Archipelago! The Berserker Tribe will claim it's rightful place as Head Tribe!"

The roaring was deafening as Hiccup looked on, helpless to stop them as they grabbed his arms and started pulling him away. Helpless as they pulled the cart Toothless had been bound on in the opposite direction, his dragon looking at him and crying out desperately. Helpless to stop Dagur from leading the entire Berserker tribe to their deaths.

Helpless to stop any of it.


	20. Battle of the Department of Mysteries P1

_NOTES:_ Love is never Expected, nor does it follow any Plan. It simply Happens, and we Realize after the fact.

**Chapter 20: The Battle of the Department of Mysteries Part 1**

The floor was smooth and shiny, reflecting their blurry images back at them as they quietly waited for everyone to make it through the Floo Network. Flynn stumbled out of the extra-wide, marble fireplace last, falling into line at the back of the group as Merida peered around carefully to ensure they weren't in any immediate danger.

Jack stood behind her, waiting for her directions with the rest of the group as his thoughts wandered, _"Just a little longer, and then maybe we'll actually have some answers..."_ An image of two young boys flashed in his mind, but he quickly shook the image away and focused on the mission at hand with a furrowed brow and a hardened expression.

"Any idea where we should start looking for this door you saw?" Astrid whispered as they all grouped together, watching the open room and the dark shadows for any sign of movement.

"The hallway... It was dark," Merida said, closing her eyes while Jack's flicked around continuously, scanning archways and the large fountain at the center of the main room. "Follow me."

Merida took off at a fast walk, careful of where she stepped and watching herself whenever approaching a corner, but not wasting any time in getting to the elevators clear across the large main area they were currently in. They piled into the elevator, and Merida turned to the buttons, looking at all of the labels of floors and the guide that showed which departments were on what floors. Finally, she selected the number nine. The button lit up and the doors to the elevator closed as the box began moving, taking them closer and closer to wherever Pitch Black was prowling around for whatever it was he was looking for in the Ministry of Magic Headquarters.

When the doors opened once again, they stood before a long, dark hallway made of entirely smooth black stone. Several openings gave way to separate corridors and passages, all made of the black stone that reflected their images but swallowed up any light that happened to shine upon it. At the end of the hall was a single door of a grey-blue color and extravagant decorations of curled metal and a strange blue stone centered on the mantel in the middle of the door.

Jack shared a glance with Merida, she took a shaky breath and gave an almost imperceptible nod before stepping off of the elevator and leading the group slowly down the corridor, her eyes fixed on the door at the end of the hall. Once the reached the door, the others spread out behind Merida while Rapunzel and Jack took up their positions to Merida's left and right, respectively. Merida slowly pulled open the door, and Jack stood at the front of the group with his staff at the ready to face whatever lie beyond, Rapunzel a step behind him with her wand in a firm grip and some of her locks falling loose from her braid.

The room on the other side was dark, only the light from the tip of Jack's staff allowed them to see the impossibly tall shelves creating rows and rows and endless rows, each one filled with foggy crystal balls, jars filled with liquids and other assorted things, a couple of large rocks here and there, some tablets with strange writing or symbols on them, and so much more that couldn't be seen.

"Well, I think it's safe to say that this place is definitely mysterious," Flynn said softly as they all slowly tiptoed into the room. "And _creepy_!" Flynn jumped with a yelp when he turned and saw a pair of eyeballs floating in a jar of greenish liquid.

"What's the matter, Flynn? You scared?" Jim wanted to know, and Flynn shot him a glare.

"Can you mutton-heads at least try to stay focused? We are hunting a crazy, murderous, evil War Lord here." Astrid pointed out, crossing her arms over her chest and fixing the two boys with a hard look.

Jack chose not to comment and turned to Merida instead. "Any ideas on where he could be?" He murmured, noting in his head that the Department of Mysteries seemed almost infinitely big with the inky blackness stretching out in every direction around them. Looking back at the door proved the room was enchanted as the door stood alone in the middle of a small dais while even more rows and rows of shelves stretched out in the direction the narrow corridor had been.

"Not any clear ones." Merida muttered back, looking anxious and frustrated and also a little pale, but Jack once again decided not to comment. Seer Magic was tricky business, and he knew Merida hadn't quite settled into the role yet, though she had come to accept her powers.

"Guys," Tadashi said, his normal voice sounding loud in the quiet of the room, snapping all of their attention to where the Ravenclaw stood facing down the center row and staring at something they couldn't see.

Jack quickly moved over to stand next to the Prefect, peering down the aisle with the little light given by his staff and Tadashi's wand. He could feel the others pressing in close behind them and at their sides while his heart began to pound in his ears.

A cloaked figure was slowly walking towards them, their shoes clicking loudly with each step and echoing in the space of the room. A sinister chuckle bubbled up from the figure, making Jack's stomach drop as he gripped his staff tight, glancing over at Rapunzel who had gone pale and wide eyed, taking a shaky step back.

"My, my, my. It has been far too long, my Flower." The voice spoke with a gentle and soothing tone, but an underlying note of smugness soured any comfort in the words as the woman stepped into the light and pushed back her hood. "Wouldn't you agree?" Gothel's voice hardened as she glared at the golden-haired princess, her lips curling into a sadistic grin.

"You!?" Rapunzel gasped, taking another step back as Jack and Merida put themselves between their friend and the evil witch they were now glaring at. The others drew their wands, having seen Gothel before and heard stories about what happened, but obviously wary as they had no actual experience with the woman, simply following Jack and Merida's instincts to guard Rapunzel.

"Now, now, is that any way to greet your Nana after so long?" Gothel hissed low in her throat, eying them like they were her cornered prey, though she had stopped moving forward with still a good distance between them. Both she and them would be forced to rely on magic alone for an attack.

"What are you doing here?" Jack demanded, ignoring the hag's open threat and keeping a firm grip on his staff should the need to jump into action arise.

"Oh, Same as you, really!" Gothel laughed pleasantly, waving her hands dismissively, before her glare returned and she snarled through her teeth. "We're all just trying to get what we want."

"Enough of your games, Gothel." A gravelly, male voice cut through the air, making Jack jump and jerk towards the shadows behind Gothel as a new figure began to emerge.

The source of the gravelly voice stepped into the light, revealing a large, hulking figure with a hunched back. An ape with long arms that he used to walk and a sword strapped to the belt of his armor. His crimson red cape shifted around him every time he moved, and the scowl he wore seemed to be permanently embedded upon his face, making his already weathered features wrinkle further.

"You're the Monkey King," Jim said, his voice wavering slightly with astonishment. "You were one of Pitch Black's top generals during the War of the Dark Ages."

"Right you are, boy." The Monkey King growled, fixing his glare on the group of young students. "However, it won't be long now before we all reclaim our titles and this world will know Fear once again."

"The Guardians will stop you!" Merida snapped, her grip on her wand tightening as she shifted into a more offensive stance. Gothel responded by cackling her horrible laugh.

"Oh? And where are your Guardians now?" Gothel questioned, and Jack scowled because the truth was not a single one of them knew where the Guardians were or what they were doing. They were on their own for the time being.

"Enough!" The Monkey King barked, growing impatient with the situation. He drew his sword with a loud, echoing hiss and raised it to the sky. "No more talking, we have more pressing matters to attend to. Die!" He threw his arm forward, pointing the sword at them, and several Nightmares reared out of the shadows, charging at them.

"Scatter!" Jack shouted, and they all dove in different directions as the Nightmares, Gothel, and the Monkey King all chased after them.

* * *

"Rapunzel!" The angry snap echoed through the darkness all around her, stretching out and surrounding her as her feet slapped against the cool flooring and her heart slammed against her chest.

Rapunzel ran as fast as she could, racing along the aisles and aisles and endless aisles of clouded globes and other mysteries as the sharp clicks of Gothel's heeled boots reverberated in her ears, getting closer and closer.

She couldn't, no, she wouldn't be caught in Gothel's trap again. She would not be locked inside another tower. A prisoner in her own home. Lonely even when surrounded by people.

No, never again.

So she kept running even as she gasped with each breath, her lungs burning and her side cramping from the sudden and seemingly endless sprint through the darkness. She rounded a corner on her left and -!

"Rapunzel!" Gothel snapped, and the shelf beside Rapunzel's head exploded with glass and a tentacle that went scattering to the floor. Rapunzel fell back hard onto her back, but pushed herself to sitting immediately and scrambled into a run in the opposite direction as Gothel followed after her with a fast pace, swinging her wand and causing shelves to explode on either side of Rapunzel as she raced down the aisle.

"Rapunzel!" Gothel's sharp voice cut through the air, but was immediately followed by another explosion of glass only this time, it was right next to Gothel's head.

Rapunzel only dared to look back for a second to see the horrid witch go sprawling across the aisle, but that one glance cost Rapunzel her footing as she tripped over herself and hit the ground hard. She slowly pushed herself to her hands and knees, wincing at the pain, and shook herself and forced her body to get back on its own two feet.

"Blondie!" Rapunzel's head snapped to the left just before she started down a passage on the right and she took a few steps forward to see down the aisle.

"Flynn!" She called back racing to him as he waved her towards him, watching behind her as Gothel's shouts came even louder this time.

"Come on, this way!" He said, taking her hand as they ran as fast as they could to get away from Gothel's dark presence.

And as Gothel's voice turned from piercing shouts to distant echoes, Rapunzel's ragged breath started to come just a little easier. "I think we lost her!" Flynn beamed, "haha! We might actually make it out of here ali- AHHHHHH!"

They both screamed as the floor suddenly gave out below them, sending them falling into a dark pit. After a few heartbeats, they hit water with a large splash and an burst of cold.

Rapunzel felt her feet brush a rough stone floor and used it to push herself up towards the waters surface. She found air about seven feet above the bottom and gasped for breath as Flynn surfaced beside her.

"What is this? Where are we?!" Flynn demanded, reaching up the walls, probably trying to see if they could climb back up, but his hands scrambled across more stone. "We're trapped!" He exclaimed.

"It's a spell!" Rapunzel said, also searching for a way out. "It could be security set by the Ministry, or it could be a trap set by Pitch and his followers, but either way the water is rising!"

"Can we counter it?" Flynn asked, looking at her as he reached for his wand again.

"I don't know how," Rapunzel admitted woefully. "But, it is possible that there's a weak point set in case someone fell in by accident."

"Then lets hope this was set by the Ministry and look for that weak spot." Flynn said, his jaw set in determination as they both ignored the part that went unsaid; because Pitch wouldn't bother leaving a weak point even for his own generals.

Flynn did a quick glance around at the walls and then took a deep breath, diving under the water to search for an escape route while Rapunzel out and up to see if the stone would budge under the right amount of pressure in just the right spot. She banged the walls with her fist and pushed as hard as she could on the ceiling while floating in the water, but nothing would move. Flynn came up for air three times, and the fourth he looked around wildly, pushing against the walls and ceiling in a frantic effort to get out.

"It's no use!" He exclaimed. "I can't see anything."

Rapunzel looked at him and then around at the walls seemingly closing in on them. She wasn't ready to give up, couldn't give up. Not yet. There had to be something they could do! So she took a deep breath and dove into the water herself, ignoring Flynn's shout, but the Slytherin boy's large hands pulled her above the waters surface before she could get very far, she was panting, possibly hyperventilating, and his eyes were filling up with sorrow and regret.

"Hey!" He said, shaking her shoulders a little to get her focused on him instead of herself struggling to breathe. "There's no point," He said, pushing a loose lock of hair back behind her ear. "It's pitch black down there."

Their eyes stayed locked together for a long moment as they both came to the realization that they weren't going to be getting out of the trap. The water already lapping at their shoulders and no way to search the exit.

Rapunzel felt dazed as she moved away from Flynn silently, letting her back thump against one of the stone walls of their prison as her whole body felt like it was made of lead.

"This is all my fault." She whispered, her arms coming up to wrap around herself tightly. "Gothel was right; I'm not strong enough to... if I'd only been braver, I could have fought her, but I ran away and I -I'm so sorry Flynn!" She sobbed, unable to hold back the self-loathing she felt at that moment. Why was she such a coward? Jack and Merida were always so brave, so heroic. One look at Gothel and she had been terrified. Turned tail and run away like a scared little girl who had no place on a battlefield.

"Eugene." Flynn murmured suddenly, and she looked over at him, pausing in her sobs for a moment.

"What?" She sniffled, wondering if she'd heard him correctly.

"My real name is Eugene Fitzherbert." He told her, with defeat, and yet some semblance his characteristic humor, dimming his eyes. "Someone might as well know."

Rapunzel felt a small chuckle bubble up at his confession, not from his name, but from the absurdity of the situation. "I don't think I have any last secrets to share with you. The whole school knows about my magic... glowing... hair!" Rapunzel's eyes snapped to Flynn's in renewed hope and vigor. "I have _Magic Hair_ that _Glows_ when I sing!" She almost shouted, making a mental note to give herself a mental kicking later for _Forgetting_ that!

"Flower gleam and glow, let your power shine -" She and Eugene gasped in breaths as the water reached the top of the cave, sending them into darkness for a short moment, and then golden light bloomed all around them as Rapunzel's hair floated all around the cave.

Following the path of the golden strands, they found a small cluster of rocks at the bottom of the cave where the water was escaping from. They quickly swam down to the pile and started digging through the rocks, pulling stone after stone until the passage was just big enough for them to get through one at a time.

Rapunzel collapsed onto the floor of the Department of Mysteries in the Ministry of Magic, water and Eugene pouring out after her as she gasped for breath. After a few moments the hole from where the water was coming disappeared, leaving only Rapunzel and Eugene gasping for air in a large puddle on the floor. When they'd managed to catch most of their breaths, they looked at each other, grinning.

"We made it." Rapunzel breathed, relief and joy renewing her lost energy. "We're alive!" She beamed, pushing herself to her feet and picking her wand up from where it had fallen on the floor.

"Never thought my life would be saved by magic glowing hair, but I guess there's a first for everything." Eugene said, his voice strained from his relief and drained system, existing on the complete opposite side of the 'just almost died' spectrum than Rapunzel.

"Come on! We need to go find the others and make sure they're alright... _Eugene_." Rapunzel smiled as she started gathering her hair.

"Uh, yeah, about that," Eugene said, rushing to his feet to hurry after Rapunzel, now wide awake at the realization his secret was out. "You can't tell anyone about this, okay? It could ruin my whole reputation."

"Ah, we wouldn't want that." Rapunzel smiled up at him teasingly as they continued walking down the dark aisle, tracking watery footprints across the once immaculately clean floor.

"Well, a fake reputation is all a man has." Eugene said jokingly, his voice and eyes soft in a way Rapunzel had never seen them before, and she laughed.

After a moment they lapsed into an awkward silence, neither one of them sure what was happening as they quietly walked towards where they'd last seen the others. When she felt her heart would explode if she didn't say something to break that uncertain silence, she said the first thing that came to mind.

"Hey, for the record, I like 'Eugene Fitzherbert' much better than 'Flynn Ryder'." She told him, nudging his arm with her elbow, and he looked at her with surprise.

"Well, then you'd be the first... But thank you." He smiled softly back at her, and she was surprised to find that she felt happy.


	21. Battle of the Department of Mysteries P2

**Music:** "The Dragonborn Comes" - Skyrim Bard Song (Female Cover by **Malukah** )

_NOTES: "Dragonborn, Dragonborn, by his honor is sworn, To keep evil forever at bay! And the fiercest foes rout when they hear triumph's shout, Dragonborn, for your blessing we pray!"_

**Chapter 21: The Battle of the Department of Mysteries Part 2**

"WATCH OUT!" Merida shouted, ducking behind another shelf as that blasted ape fired another curse at them, sending glass, liquid, and who knows what scattering across the floor from their precarious perches on the shelves.

"Stupefy!" Astrid barked, twisting to throw the spell back at the Monkey King. He dodged it, but slipped on some of the liquids he'd spilled by exploding the bottles that had previously held them. He fell to the ground hard and struggled to get up as the two Gryffindor girls rounded a corner and raced down the aisle to put as much distance between them as possible while they had the opportunity.

Merida's head swung back to the front, but then everything was suddenly in slow motion. Ahead of her was a Wisp, floating down the dark aisle to guide her, and coming from nowhere, but everywhere all at once was a quiet voice singing;

_"Dovahkiin, Dovahkiin, naal ok zin los vahriin_

_Wah dein vokul mahfaeraak ahst vaal!_

_Ahrk fin norok paal graan fod nust hon zindro zaan_

_Dovahkiin, fah hin kogaan mu draal!..."_

"There!" Merida called out, pointing ahead of them towards a single door that the Wisp had disappeared into. It was a simple door, standing in the middle of the room as if it led to nowhere, but the two girls knew better and with a single glance picked up their pace to run even faster.

They shoved the door open, ducking into the room just as the Monkey King came around the corner and shot another curse at them. They slammed the door closed and pressed their backs against it, jarring as the curse exploded against the door, making it jump, but not break.

Merida grabbed the latch and quickly threw the bolt, locking the Monkey King out of the room despite his poundings on the door and yelled threats. She and Astrid backed away from the door as it shook with the force of every hit, trying to catch their breaths. Merida knew the door wouldn't hold for long and turned to look at the room to see if there was anything that might help them.

The small room was made entirely of wood; the floor, the walls, the ceiling, and it creaked as if it were the Hull of a ship swaying on the waves. It was dimly lit with sparsely placed candles that flickered silently. Both sides of the room were lined with shelves pushed up against the wall, filled to the brim with interesting objects from all over the world and some mysterious things Merida had never seen before. Against the back wall was a table scattered with papers of scribbled drawings and messy handwriting and above it hung a flag; black as night and detailings of a white skull with an eye-patch and crossbones on it. In the center of the room was a strangely-shaped pedestal that was topped with a carved dragon's foot, the fingers and claws wrapped around a small orb that swirled with white clouds inside.

"What is this place?" Merida breathed, feeling on edge in the small, weird room. Every sound they made sounded eerily loud in the small space, even with the Monkey King making a racket at the door.

"That flag..." Astrid whispered, "That's the flag of Grimbeard the Ghastly, the most fearsome pirate who ever lived and a former Chief of the Hairy Hooligan Tribe..."

Merida snapped her eyes to Astrid, questioning. "But if he was Chief, then wouldn't that make him...?"

Astrid nodded, a slightly mournful expression coming over her features and making her look tired. "He's Hiccup's Great-Great-Grandfather." She murmured.

"Why would a pirate and a Chief of Berk have a room hidden in the Ministry's Department of Mysteries? And why would there be a Prophecy Ball here?" Merida asked, looking at the miniature crystal ball on the pedestal and glancing back at Astrid.

"Most people say Grimbeard the Ghastly was insane. A few say he was a Seer... Some say he was both." Astrid shrugged, also looking at the Prophecy Ball. "If he was a Seer and managed to record a prophecy for someone to See in the future... Well, I guess the real question would be why would the Ministry want to cover it up?"

"Maybe they're not." Merida replied thoughtfully. "Maybe they just don't know what the prophecy is. Prophecy Balls are used to record Visions or Dreams of prophecy so that other Witches and Wizards, regardless of whether they have the Sight or not, can See the prophecy for themselves. It's like putting a letter in an envelope, but it can also work as a protective device, like putting a letter inside a box and locking it away."

"Why would someone do that?" Astrid wanted to know.

"It was a technique Seers developed to protect the truth of their Prophecies. Originally, Prophecy Balls were meant to preserve prophecies that long-outlasted their Seers. Later, as people started realizing they could manipulate prophecies, Seers started locking their Visions away to protect them. Some Seers in history even locked away their Prophecies and then killed themselves because they were either forced to by Warlords trying to force them to predict wars, or they believed the world simply wasn't ready for the truth. Maybe Grimbeard was one of them. You said a lot of people still think he was crazy." Merida explained as she walked closer to the pedestal. A particularly loud slam against the door made both girls jump and wince.

"Okay," Astrid said, slowly turning away from the door and back to Merida. "Well, how do we unlock the box?"

"That depends on What, or maybe even Who, Grimbeard the Ghastly was waiting for." Merida told her, now looking down at the small orb with shifting white clouds inside. Suddenly, the Wisp reappeared between Merida's face and the Prophecy, and Merida jumped back with a startled yelp. "Blasted Wee Thing! You could've given me a heart attack!"  
"That's a Will'O the Wisps!" Astrid said, staring at the tiny spirit in wonder.

"Aye, it is..." Merida muttered, trailing off a bit as she heard the whispery voice of the Wisp singing the same song she'd heard earlier. The Wisp, though, had a different voice. It was lighter and child-like. The voice from before had been rich and full; a woman's voice. "I think Lady Fate is at work with us." Merida said, a shiver running down her spine as she looked over at Astrid who gave a shrug.

"You're the Seer. What should we do?" The viking asked, and Merida sucked in a deep breath, the door cracking a few times under the strain of the Monkey King's attacks.

"We're lucky this room seems to be spelled against any sort of magic, otherwise he'd have gotten in a long time ago, but it does seem to me like our luck is going to run out soon." Merida mentioned casually and turned back to the pedestal. "I hope I'm right about this." She told the Wisp. She grabbed hold of the crystal ball and pulled. After a moments resistance, the sphere came loose of it's holder and the Wisp disappeared, leaving Merida and Astrid in the small room alone. "Well, I suppose that turned out alright."

As soon as the words were out of Merida's mouth, all of the candles in the room blew out, leaving the room in darkness except for the creepy glow of the pedestal as it cracked, the wood splitting and moving. Merida and Astrid backed away until their backs hit the door as the pedestal grew and grew, three more feet coming out of the base of the pedestal followed by a tail and then wings and, finally, the head of a dragon. The wood dragon raised it's head, glaring down at them for a moment, and then appeared to take a deep breath in.

"GET DOWN!" Astrid screamed, tackling Merida to the floor to the side of the door just as the over-grown, enchanted piece of wood blew fire right where they had been standing. The door burst open and they heard a scream as the Monkey King was caught in the fiery blast. When the heat finally faded, Merida and Astrid whirled to see the Wood Dragon pull back again and shake itself out, it's slit-eyes slowly turning toward them.

"Run!" Astrid yelled, giving Merida a push as they both just barely managed to scramble to their feet as the Wood Dragon's giant pike-teeth snapped at the ground where they'd fallen. They sprinted into the main room of the Department of Mysteries and raced down the aisle, ignoring the groaning and smoking form of the Monkey King on the ground as the Wooden Dragon burst through the small door, breaking the wall and sending wood splinters everywhere.

The dragon roared as it took flight, following straight after them.

* * *

"Stupefy!" Jim fired off a charm, blasting one of the five Nightmares right in the side and scattering black sand across the floor.

Jack, Tadashi, and Jim were standing in a circle with their backs pressed against each others as the Nightmares circled them, running in and out of the shadows and ducking between the shelves. They charged and snapped at the boys, leaping at any sort of opening in their defenses, and the lads, for the most part, were just trying to guard their friends backs.

A Nightmare suddenly charged at a gap between Tadashi and Jack, but the older boy was faster, turning just enough to throw his wand out toward the Nightmare. "Stupefy!" The Nightmare swerved, but the spell caught it's hip and the Nightmare fell to the ground hard, the sand splaying out where it had fallen.

In response, the last three Nightmares circled around to Jack's side of the circle, and Jack took two running steps forward as he wound up his arm and then threw the same Ice Spell he'd used to protect Hiccup from Pitch's Sand Wave during fourth year. The ice cracked and exploded, blasting into the three Nightmares and sending sand everywhere as the floor and shelves within a twenty foot radius iced over with frost and icicles.

Jack stood panting as Jim and Tadashi came up next to him, all of them glancing at each other to silently ask if they were all okay. With the threat gone, Jack dropped his fighting stance and focused on catching his breath, knowing he'd have to be careful because he would only be able to use that spell once or twice more. While his training with the Guardians the year before had been very fruitful in learning more offensive ice magic, Jack knew that the spell he'd inherited from his father took a lot of energy and even with his considerable stamina, he could only use it three times on his best days.

"Jack!" Jack and the two Ravenclaws whirled around at the voice and found Rapunzel and Flynn running towards them, slowing to a stop with their hands up as Jack raised his staff at them.

"Stay where you are." Jack said. "Rapunzel, what did I bring back with me after winter break during our first year?"

Rapunzel relaxed a little as she realized what Jack was doing and smiled. "Your dad's journal. It had information about the Guardians and Pitch that we used when we were trying to figure out who they were and what was going on."

"Good," Jack conceded, lowering his staff as he smiled at Rapunzel. "Sorry, you just never know with Pitch and his army."

"I understand. But what was the first prank you and Hiccup ever pulled?" Rapunzel questioned in return, and Jack snorted.

"We filled Professor Bunnymund's classroom with Winter Pixies, and then, when we got caught, Hiccup told Bunny that we were building a snowman." Jack answered fondly.

"Now that we all know we are who we appear to be; why are you two all wet?" Tadashi asked, and Flynn and Rapunzel looked at each other before Flynn just huffed and responded.

"Long story." The older Slytherin supplied. "You three seem to be alright. Any idea where the other girls are?"

"RUN!" They all turned at Merida's voice to find Merida and Astrid sprinting towards them, having come from around a corner. Jack opened his mouth to ask them a question, whether to prove themselves as them or to ask what they were running from he wasn't sure, but the words died in his throat as a giant, wooden dragon came crashing around the corner after them, breathing fire and ramming into a shelf b accident.

Merida and Astrid ran passed them, not stopping for a second, and the other quickly followed, racing after them as the shelves started falling into one another, knocking over shelf after shelf, sending mysteries and glass shattering everywhere as the wooden dragon chased after them, flying overhead as it snapped and blew fire at them.

"What is that thing?!" Flynn shouted, freaking out as they all ran for their lives.

"We don't know! It's enchanted to be like an actual dragon!" Merida responded, as her feet pounded against the smooth floor, the Prophecy Ball clutched tight in one hand.

"Aren't you one of the greatest dragon killers of your generation? How do we kill that thing?!" Flynn directed this at Astrid who shot him a look as if he were crazy.

"DO YOU SEE THE SIZE OF THAT THING?" Astrid shouted back at him. "It's like nothing I've ever seen! Maybe YOU want to go back there and fight it?!"

"I'M JUST SAYING IF -!" Flynn started, but Rapunzel cut him off.

"You guys, look!" Ahead of them was another single door, this time against a solid stone wall.

"Everyone, hurry!" Jack called, and everyone pressed forward, running as fast as they possibly could as the Wood Dragon took another deep breath in.

"WATCH OUT!" Jim warned just as they hit the door and a burst of fire exploded from the dragon's mouth.

Suddenly, all of them were falling, the door opening not into another room, but empty space, and as fire streamed through the door and the roars of the wood dragon faded, they all screamed as they fell faster and faster. But, just inches above the stone floor, they all suddenly jerked to a stop, floating in the air for three heartbeats, and then they dropped onto the ground, maybe collecting a bruise or two, but ultimately fine.

They all slowly struggled to their, a few groans sounding loud in the quiet of the new space. Jack was the first to get to his feet and look around their new surroundings. The room was circular in shape and rested at the bottom of a seemingly endless pit that extended beyond their view above them. The ground and walls were unfinished stone, like a cave, and the floor had a slight rise to it, making the center of the room the highest point while the edges were all slightly lower. Besides them, there was nothing in the room and no obvious means of escape as they were surrounded by solid walls.

"What is this place?" Tadashi murmured as they all turned around themselves, looking at the room that was only dimly lit by a white light with an unknown source.

"Does anyone else hear that?" Merida asked slowly, warily looking around to try and find the source of whatever she was hearing.

Jack paused to listen for a moment, wondering what she was talking about, and then he heard it too. Hissing, like harsh whispers in the shadows, was coming somewhere unknown, but it was definitely getting louder. Turning around, Jack raised his staff to where he thought it was coming from.

"Get behind me!" He ordered as the others fell into place either by his side or at his back, their wands at the ready as the hissing became deafeningly loud in the quiet, echoing space.

Suddenly, big clouds of darkness burst from the shadows, wispy and solid at the same time. The clouds came straight at them, consuming them and leaving them unable to see as fists, scratches, and other physical attacks swiped at them. It was utter darkness and chaos as they were surrounded, and Jack couldn't even see Rapunzel or Merida who had been standing on either side of him.

Jack twisted and swung his staff through the darkness, trying to land at least one blow, but nothing he did seemed to work. One cloud swept by the others, heading straight for him, and a fist swung out, catching Jack in the gut. All of the air rushed out of his lungs, and he gagged as he doubled over the fist that had jammed into his stomach. His staff clattered to the floor, but he grabbed onto the arm that had punched him and used it as leverage to right himself just enough to look at the cloud to see if he could make out a face. This was met with a second fist flying out of the cloud and connecting with Jack's cheek. His head snapped to the side and in the next instant he hit the ground hard, scraping his forearms through his sleeves as he tried to partially catch himself.

Half-dazed and a throbbing pain rolling up and down his arms, Jack managed to push himself up onto his hands, surprised to find both the clouds and his friends had disappeared from his sides. Evenly spaced along the edge of the circular room were six figures in dark cloaks, each of them holding one of his friends with one hand and point their wands at them with the other. Jack's eyes lingered on Merida, who tried to keep the crystal ball hidden in her hand by her side and struggled against the Monkey King's grip on her hair despite his slightly charred looking form, and then on Rapunzel, whose arm was twisted behind her back by Gothel.

Jim stood within the clutches of a strange creature that appeared to be half-crab and half-spider. Tadashi was being held in a one-arm choke-hold by a man in a dark suit and a top hat with a skull and crossbones symbol and a cane with a purple ball on top instead of a wand. Astrid scowled at a dark-haired woman with grey-green skin and a purple dress, her amber eyes flashing viciously as she pointed a wand like black coral at Astrid's throat. Flynn was the most unfortunate as a giant creature with black skin, yellow-orange eyes, and a set of horns which curled around his face held him in one hand; encasing one of Flynn's arms and his entire torso as his second arm pushed uselessly against the brute's claws.

"Looking for something, are we?" The smooth voice made Jack snarl as he shoved himself to standing and swung around to face Pitch Black. Jack ran at him, swinging his staff with an ice spell of sharp, jagged icicles like glass shards. Pitch dodged to one side and swooped behind Jack as he ran passed, missing Pitch's head by a hair and stumbling to a stop as Pitch settled calmly into his new place on the higher ground, laughing. "Don't be afraid, Jack."

"Afraid? I'm not a afraid of you." Jack replied coolly, slipping into a fighting stance with his staff gripped in both hands, pointed at Pitch.

"Maybe not, but you are afraid of something."

"You think so, huh?"

"I know so! It's the one thing I always know; peoples' greatest fears." Pitch spoke softly, smiling as he stood there with his hands folded calmly behind his back. "Yours is that you will keep losing the people you love. That you will never be able to protect them when it most counts."

The air left his lungs in a rush and his heart squeezed painfully in his chest as Jack's mind supplied multiple memories of Hiccup and his father. Pitch smirked, and Jack felt all of the rage and all of the pain from everything that had happened boiling up inside his chest.

"I know you were there that night!" Jack shouted the accusation, glaring at the Nightmare King, who remained unperturbed by the events unfolding before him. "Where is he? What did you do to him?!"

"What did I do? Well, I didn't do anything." Pitch said in an overly-exaggerated tone of innocence. "In fact, I'd say your Guardians did a better job of getting rid of sweet little Hiccup -!"

"Don't you dare say his name!" Jack yelled, cutting him off with another ice blast, which Pitch was forced to use his arm to bat away, leaving his forearm frosted.

"Such insolence!" Pitch growled through clenched teeth as he glowered down at Jack. "Have you considered asking North what really happened that night? Or, better yet, why the Guardians of Childhood simply gave up on you _Best Friend_?!"

"What are you talking about?" Jack wanted to know, his grip on his staff tightening until his knuckles cracked.

"Oh, well, that explains it, then! The Guardians haven't told you anything! They don't trust you, but really; who could blame them? How can they expect you to help them protect the whole world when you couldn't even protect Hiccup?" Pitch demanded, grinning viciously.

"Shut up!" Jack snapped, stepping back a little as Pitch slowly moved forward, looming over him.

"You're not one of them." Pitch told him.

"You don't know what I am." Jack challenged.

"Of course I do! You're Jack Frost!" Pitch smiled widely, his eyes flashing with sick enjoyment for his tormenting. "You make a mess wherever you go. Why, you're doing it right now." Pitch's grin turned triumphant, his arm sweeping to the side to indicate Jack's friends currently held captive by his dark forces.

"What do you want?" Jack grudgingly asked after glancing at the faces of his friends, lowering his staff slightly in defeat.

"I'll make it simple for you." Pitch offered in false graciousness. "Give me the prophecy from Grimbeard's Trove, or watch your friends die."

Jack looked behind Pitch where Rapunzel and Merida were being held. Rapunzel, though her eyes were watery, stuck her chin out stubbornly and kept her mouth in a firm line, hardening her eyes behind the misty sheen. Merida met him stare for stare, her expression urgent, and gave the tiniest shakes of her head. He knew they wanted him to refuse Pitch, to not give in to the Dark Sorcerer's schemes just to save their lives, but he also knew that Pitch was right. He was terrified of losing anyone else and, even if it meant letting Pitch win the battle, he'd do everything in his power to make sure they got home safe.

"We give you the prophecy, and you let us go. No one gets hurt." Jack reaffirmed, fixing Pitch with a hard look, and the Shadow Man looked pleased.

"Of course. I give you my word." Pitch's teeth glinted in the dim light of the cave-like pit, and Jack gave one last glance to Merida and Rapunzel before locking eyes with Pitch.

"Too bad I don't trust your word. NOW!" Jack threw another ice spell in Pitch's direction, but instead of hitting the Dark Sorcerer it went to the side, hitting the Monkey King square in the face as Merida ducked and then rounded on Gothel with, "Stupefy!"

Within moments they were all freed from the grasps of their captors and were fighting against any of Pitch's comrades that got too close. They managed to gather together at one end of the room, forming a half circle against the wall as the older and more experienced Dark Wizards and Witches pressed in on them from all sides. Surprisingly, the hardest foe they had to face was not really Pitch himself, or any of the magic users even, but the large creature that had been holding Flynn. The beast didn't use magic to attack them, but wielded two giant swords that were taller and wider than Jack himself.

"Enough of this Nonsense!" The beast bellowed after blocking a spell with his forearm. He swung his massive arm and swatted Jim across the room like he was an annoying fly, letting out a monstrous roar as he pounded his fists against the ground and then charged at the small group of believers.

"Everyone, Move!" Jack shouted.

"Look out!" Merida cried at the same time as they all dove out of the way.

In the heat of the battle, Rapunzel, who was battling against the Monkey King, turned to get out of the way, firing one last charm to knock away the Monkey King, but tripped over a jagged rock, cutting the side of her foot and ankle as she fell to the ground. The monster, seeing this, changed his course, charging straight at Rapunzel.

"Rapunzel!" Flynn screamed, blocking a curse from the man with the top hat and returning it with a hex before launching himself toward the golden-haired princess.

In the next instant, time seemed to stop for all of the Hogwarts students. Flynn was doubled over one of the monster's large claws that had impaled his stomach, blood slowly seeping out of the wound and staining his white shirt. Rapunzel lay just a foot behind Flynn in shock, staring wide-eyed at the scene in front of her as her vision blurred with tears. Jack let out a furious scream of frustration and anger as he and the others were backed into a corner by the other Dark Magics.

And then time started again.

"EUGENE!" Rapunzel shrieked, lunging forward to catch his head as the Slytherin boy fell to the floor. The monster loomed over them with a horrific grin of satisfied blood-lust as Rapunzel cradled Flynn's head to her shoulder, glaring up at the beast.

"Humans are so Fragile. So easy to Kill." The monster growled happily and licked his teeth. "It has been quite some time since I have tasted human flesh!" He raised his bloodied claws, prepared to kill them both, but before he could strike Pitch Black appeared out of his shadow and stood between them, causing the monster to snarl and drop his fist. "What is the meaning of this?"

"Perhaps it was the way of your father to destroy everything in his path, but I prefer a more strategic approach to battle." Pitch sneered at the creature that towered over even him. "Now, if you want your father set free, you'll follow orders. The Flower Child can be useful to us." Pitch's wicked grin returned as he looked back at Rapunzel, who gasped.

"No! Rapunzel!" Merida yelled, but couldn't break through the line of Pitch's generals.

Rapunzel cried out as Gothel grabbed both of her arms, dragging her to her feet and pulling her away from Flynn. The monster snorted and lumbered back towards the shadows, glaring at Pitch as he went. Pitch ignored him and gave Gothel a nod of approval as she pulled Rapunzel back to where Pitch was standing.

"We are going where no one will ever find you again!" Gothel said through gritted teeth, as Pitch created chains of black sand and gave them to Gothel to restrain Rapunzel. "Rapunzel, really! Enough already! Stop Fighting Me!" Gothel ordered, managing to lock the cuffs around Rapunzel's wrists, but the princess pushed away and fell to the ground, using her feet and legs to push herself away from Gothel.

"No! I won't stop! For every minute of the rest of my life I will Fight! I will never stop trying to get away from you!" Rapunzel exclaimed, breathing hard as the cavern fell into total silence, everyone holding their breaths for what would happen next. "But, if you let me save him, I will go with you." Rapunzel offered, immediately causing Jack and the others to cry out in protest, begging her not to do it as Gothel looked at her with interest.

"No... No, Rapunzel...!" Flynn rasped, trying to crawl towards her. Trying to convince her to stop.

"I'll never run. I'll never try to escape. Just let me heal him, and you and I will be together. Forever. Just like you want. Everything will be the way it was... I Promise." Rapunzel swore, and Merida cried for her not to. "Just like you want. Just Let Me Heal Him."

"Well, isn't this interesting." Pitch grinned, coming up beside Gothel who still looked skeptical. "Such a promise from a Noble and Pure-Hearted girl. I think this bargain will work in our favor."

"Fine." Gothel frowned, but relented, easing her grip on the chains.

Within moments Pitch's generals had taken Jack's staff and the others' wands, tossing them into a far corner and keeping them backed against a wall so they were powerless to stop them. Gothel was chaining Flynn to a stone as Pitch held onto Rapunzel's arm just off to the side, and as soon as Gothel had stepped back, Rapunzel dove to Flynn's side.

"Eugene!" She said, leaning close as Flynn coughed and struggled. She moved his vest slightly to see the wound and his blood stained shirt and winced. "I'm so sorry. Everything is going to be okay, though."

"No, Rapunzel!" Flynn tried to push her hands away as she gathered some of her hair, but Rapunzel gently brushed them aside.

"You have to trust me." She told him. "Come on, just breathe."

"No... I can't let you do this!" Flynn protested, looking up at her through the pain.

"And I can't let you die." She returned quietly.

"But if you do... Then you will die." Flynn struggled to get the words out, and Rapunzel shushed him, lightly placing a hand on his cheek.

"Hey," She stopped him, looking at him a soft, yet broken expression. "It's gonna be alright." She whispered to him, though it sounded loud in the quiet of the pit. Without another argument, she closed her eyes and took a breath...

"Rapunzel," Flynn interrupted her again, his hand coming up to brush the hair out of her face. Their eyes locked as he could only mouth the word 'wait', and his fingers brushed along her cheekbone. They leaned closer to each other, Flynn's hand reaching to the back of her head as their eyes slid shut.

And then Flynn lunged forward, one hand holding Rapunzel's hair as the other sliced through it with the sharp rock she had cut her foot on.

His hand dropped to the ground, the stone falling out of his hand with a thunderous clatter. Rapunzel gasped, her hands reaching up to her hair as her new pixie cut and the endless lengths of golden hair on the floor turned brown before their very eyes.

"NO!" Gothel shouted in horror as her perfectly smooth skin turned dry and wrinkled, her beauty fading into the image of an old hag. "What have you done?!" She screamed, but before she, or anyone else, could do anything to the kids, lights started to fill the cave.

Similar to the dark clouds that the Dark Magics had used to fly into the room, now bright white clouds illuminated the dim space, casting away the shadows and blinding Pitch and his generals. Bunnymund was the first to land and immediately threw his boomerangs at Gothel and Pitch to get them away from Rapunzel and Flynn. Toothiana and Sandman appeared between the generals and everyone who had been trapped against the wall, Toothiana's fairies swooping over to bring the kids their wands and Jack his staff. Finally, North appeared near Bunnymund with another large creature beside him, but this one wore shiny silver armor with blue light coming off of it and wielding a giant sword that glowed with an intense light.

"Bular!" The blue-stone skinned creature shouted, pointing his sword at the monster, who roared back at him.

"Kanjigar!" Bular charged at the creature in armor, and they engaged in battle as the Guardians fought with Pitch and his generals.

Jack, Merida, and the others grabbed the wands and joined in, fighting wherever they could help, and together they managed to push back the Dark Magics and regain the high ground, several of them forming a protective ring around Rapunzel and Flynn.

"Fall Back!" Pitch spat the order at his comrades in his rage, glowering at the Guardians as all of his generals began to flee. "You may have won the battle, Guardians, but the War is far from over!" Pitch warned them, gathering up his sand in a cloud and swirled around the room.

"Worthless cowards." Bular hissed, looking up at the cloud and then turning back to Kanjigar with a sneer. "We will meet again, Trollhunter!" With that, Bular turned and leaped into the air, Pitch's cloud swooping down and collecting him before completely fleeing the scene of the crime.

"Pitch!" Jack shouted, readying his staff to fly after him, but North stopped him with a hand on his shoulder. "We have to go after him!" Jack exclaimed.

"We have our own comrades to worry about." North reminded him, looking up the rise to where Rapunzel was still cradling Flynn.

Jack's breath rushed out of his lungs and he ran forward to join all of his friends as they gathered around the injured pair. Flynn was completely still and Rapunzel's eyes were filling with tears. Jim and Tadashi hung their heads while Astrid dropped her axe to the floor and squeezed her eyes shut. Merida stood quietly, looking over to look at Jack with sadness dampening her eyes and curls. Jack could only stare, wide-eyed, as the older Slytherin boy lay silently in Rapunzel's arms.

"Heal what has been hurt," Rapunzel whispered, leaning closer to Flynn. "Change the fates design... Save what been lost... Bring what once was mine..." She paused, taking in a shaky breath as she rested her forehead against Flynn's. "What once was mine." She said, as her tears finally overwhelmed her and spilled down her cheeks.

A tear fell onto Flynn's cheek and slowly dried into his skin, but then a small light appeared in the shape of a flower and then faded. Suddenly, a bright and warm light started to come from Flynn's wound, filling the dark cavern with warmth as streams of light curled and weaved through the entire space like a flower in bloom. They all stared in wide-eyed amazement as the light slowly began to fade, healing Flynn's wound from the inside out.

Rapunzel's eyes snapped to Flynn's face, watching closely as the Slytherin boy's eyes twitched and then opened into tired slits. "Rapunzel?" He mumbled, and Rapunzel gasped in wonder and happiness as everyone grinned and leaned closer. "Did I ever tell you, I've got a thing for brunettes?"

"Eugene!" Rapunzel laughed through her tears and then threw her arms around his neck as Flynn pushed himself up to sitting. They all cheered and laughed, hurrying forward to join the hug as they celebrated Flynn being alive. And just like that, everything was okay. Even though Pitch had gotten away, they had Rapunzel and Flynn, which was all that really mattered to Jack, and as he made eye contact with Merida and Rapunzel, he knew that they felt the same.

"Alright, I do have one question, though!" Jim said through all of the soggy laughter and then turned to Flynn. " _Eugene_?"

"Oh! Flynn! -I'm so sorry!" Rapunzel apologized, but Flynn waved her off with a smile.

"Don't worry about it." He smiled softly at her. "I think I'm starting to like Eugene Fitzherbert better anyways."

"Oooooh!" Merida murmured teasingly with a grin as Rapunzel blushed and smiled.

And everyone laughed together.


	22. Who Knew

**Music:** "Who Knew" by P!nk

 _NOTES:_ Life moves on, but Memories don't. You may have gone Away, but our Friendship is still here in my Heart. I Miss You.

**Chapter 22: Who Knew**

Returning home was an interesting affair to say the least. For one thing; the students were still in the full swing of their revolt against Lady Tremaine and her Inquisitors. The students ran wild, running a muck through the whole castle by throwing food, using trick candies, and just magic in general. Snotlout was leading the rebellion with a fiery passion; Daren Fouls was found tied up and hanging upside down in the main courtyard with nothing but his undies, somebody had decided to let the Twins loose in the potions classroom, and the upper-classmen had created a barricade on the moving staircases and waged a battle against Chi-Fu and the Inquisitors with him by throwing food, potions, and strange things they'd found in storage closets. The first and second year students were busy ransacking Lady Tremaine's office and classroom, cheering each other on as they threw her cat plates out the windows. Emma, however, was not among her year-mates and had disappeared into the fray of things at some point only to be found later in the Great Hall, singing along with a Music Box she had enchanted with the spell Hiccup taught her and dancing up and down the aisles as she threw magical fireworks into the air. The teachers who were loyal to the Guardians and North as their Deputy Headmaster were found relaxing in the teachers lounge in the teachers wing of the castle. Apparently they'd had no idea of what the students were doing, though when discussing it Professor Mode looked almost maniacally happy and Professor Lorax wouldn't stop snickering.

Needless to say, it took several days for the castle to be set right again. All of the students, even those who went to the Ministry, were ordered to clean every inch of the castle and to help the teachers with any chores requested of them. Though, no one was too upset about it now that the Guardians were back in charge of the school.

Three days after the incident, the Guardians had a meeting with the Prime Minister Claude Frollo. Full power of the school was given back to the Guardians, but Lady Tremaine was to stay at the school and continue her etiquette lessons to ensure the "good relationship" between Hogwarts and the Ministry. On top of that, the Minister finally agreed to address the public about Pitch and his slowly returning powers, admitting that the Guardians had been right all along and the danger was real.

It was three days after that meeting that Jack, Merida, and Rapunzel were called to North's office to speak with the Guardians. The three of them met at the bottom of the moving staircases, nodding to each other quietly and taking deep breaths before climbing the stairs together all the way to the Deputy Headmaster's office. When they arrived, they spoke the password to the guardian statue, entered without any trouble, and, after passing through the sitting rooms, found the Guardians in the main room with the windows covered, having a discussion with the armor-clad creature they saw at the Ministry of Magic. The Guardians noted their entry with greeting nods and a smile from Toothiana, but otherwise continued their conversation.

"It seems you were right about Bular joining forces with Pitch Black," Kanjigar was saying as the three students stood by the door, not wanting to interrupt. "With their powers combined, I fear Bular may find a way to succeed in freeing Gunmar from the Darklands, and then no one will be safe. I must warn the Troll Tribunal and continue searching for Bular. Rest assured, Guardians, I will not stop until Bular has been slain or I have breathed my last. But until that day I will keep you informed on the situation."

"Thank you for cooperating with us, Trollhunter." North said as he and the other Guardians bowed. "Let us hope it is the former, and that our comradeship will keep our enemies from gaining the upper-hand."

"We will speak again soon, Guardians. I wish you luck." Kanjigar nodded in return and started to walk towards the stairs that led to North's sleigh and other means of transportation. With that the Trollhunter was gone and the Guardians turned to them with varying looks of exhaustion and warmness that was overshadowed by the seriousness of their meeting.

"I assume you all know why we are here..." North began grimly after a tense moment of silence. "Why did you go after Pitch after we specifically told you not to go looking for trouble? Why did you bring other students with you?"

"We kept our part of the agreement," Merida muttered the argument, meeting their gazes without lifting her head. "We weren't investigating Pitch, it just so happened that our search led us to him. And the others came along because they agreed with us and wanted to help."

"What were you three searching for? And what did the other students agree with?" Toothiana questioned gently, more curious and worried than upset, but North held his stern, crossed-arms expression.

"They agreed that what Lady Tremaine was doing was wrong, and that we needed to teach ourselves properly so no one else would get hurt." Rapunzel explained. "And, as for what we were looking for..." She trailed off, looking at Merida and Jack uncertainly, but Jack stepped forward and stood at his full height, facing the Guardians.

"We were looking for Hiccup." Jack told them, his voice sounding loud as it was followed by a deafening silence. The Guardians all looked at each other in shock, and then North took a deep breath and stepped toward them.

"I understand that you are all still hurting because of -" North started.

"No. You don't understand." Jack bit back at the older man, who straightened in surprise.

"You all left without a word or reason to any of us and Tremaine started changing everything!" Merida put in, stepping up beside her friend. "We weren't learning magic, no one felt safe, and everyone could see what was happening no matter how much the Ministry tried to cover it up! We decided to fight for ourselves, so we started the Secret Dueling Club and helped teach the others defensive magic."

"We All did it because we're tired of seeing our friends get hurt." Rapunzel added, not willing to let the Guardians forget that they weren't alone in their beliefs this time. "We did it for Hiccup."

North took a step forward and started to say something, but Bunnymund caught his shoulder, causing the bearded man to look back at the Pooka. Their eyes locked in equally hardened expressions until Bunny broke the tense silence. "They need to hear the Truth, North."

"He's right, North. They're ready." Toothiana agreed quietly, her feet touching the ground as her wings fell still against her back, Sandman nodding solemnly beside her.

North looked at each of them and back at the kids before heaving a deep sigh. He looked older and more tired than before, looking at the children with a seriousness that they'd never seen before. "Come." He said to them simply and started to walk towards his desk as Jack and the girls quickly followed behind him.

The Slytherin, the Gryffindor, and the Hufflepuff all gathered around the front of the desk with the Guardians as North presented a age-golden scroll that seemed to glow faintly as he laid it on the desk and let it roll open to reveal a short paragraph written on the parchment...

_"Taken by Darkness and Fright,_   
_All Kingdoms will fail in their Fight._   
_Without thought or fear,_   
_Four heroes shall appear._   
_Of Fire and Ice,_   
_Of Sun and Moon._   
_Gold shall suffer Strife,_   
_Should the Fourth have Life._   
_Only the Light can slay the Darkness,_   
_And banish the Heartless._   
_With Peace and Light restored,_   
_The Destined will Soar."_

"This is..." Merida breathed out as she looked up at the Guardians quizzically, seeking confirmation for what she had already guessed, and they nodded.

"This is a Prophecy given to us quite some time ago about those destined to succeed us as the Guardians of Childhood." North told them, leaving the teenagers too shocked to speak as they looked at each other in uncertainty and confusion. "We have been searching for the Chosen Ones since Mim gave us a sign that it was time, and not a year later, you all came to Hogwarts."

"We had our suspicions during your First year, and then you all kept proving yourselves in your skills and your hearts..." Toothiana added, trailing off as they all looked at the three purposefully.

Rapunzel stared back, wide-eyed, before looking at Jack and Merida to see how they were receiving the information. Merida squinted at the Guardians slightly, trying to put all of the pieces together in her head and turned to meet Rapunzel's gaze. Jack was the only one who didn't look up; his eyes were fixed on the ground, his brow furrowed deeply and his lips pressed tight together before he shook his head roughly and lifted his head to address the Guardians directly.

"Alright, but what about Hiccup?" Jack demanded harshly, unwilling to admit that he might already have an idea of what the Guardians were going to tell them. "The Prophecy says there are _Four_ heroes. We're Missing One."

"Jack," North sighed again, his older appearance doing little to calm the raging emotions inside of the young Winter Sprite. Though, the Deputy Headmaster had been aware that this day would eventually come and there was no running from it. "It is impossible to know for certain what the Prophecy is trying to tell us, but it cannot be denied that Hiccup is-...was the Fourth Child of Prophecy... His Fate was never clear."

"You _expected_ him to die?" Rapunzel managed something slightly above a whisper, but her voice was tight and her eyes were glassy.

"Of course not!" Toothiana exclaimed hurriedly, rushing over to put a comforting hand on Rapunzel's shoulders as she continued. "We didn't know what to expect! We certainly didn't Want anything bad to happen." The frantic nodding of agreement from Sandy was punctuated by jingling bell sounds.

"We wanted each of you kids to become full Guardians one day, but it is our duty to be prepared for the worst, even as we hope for the best." North explained, his eyes sad and outlined with small, hairline wrinkles that one wouldn't usually notice on the normally jolly man. "We wanted to train the Four of you to be the next generation of Guardians, to have each of you mentored under one of us. But, during the visitation of the Scottish Royals, Pitch Black managed to sneak into the school and discovered the Prophecy."

"When you say that you had to prepare for the worst... What was the worst?" Merida wanted to know.

"Pitch has the ability to take less powerful creatures and infect them with his own essence. It's ancient Dark Magic that enslaves the victim under the castor. Those corrupted by Pitch's will are known as Fearlings... We were afraid that Pitch would pray on Hiccup's insecurities and negative emotions, and eventually corrupt him entirely." Bunnymund said, not looking at anyone as he spoke, his face hardened in an expression that was clouded with anger, but also fogged as though he was reliving past regrets in his own head.

"We had to be prepared for the worst, no matter what happened." North repeated steadily, looking at each of them. "We had to prepare for the possibility that Hiccup would fight beside Pitch Black in the final battle."

"Why didn't you tell us sooner? Wasn't there anything you could have done?" Rapunzel asked them, her chest expanding and contracting with the effort of keeping her breaths at least partly even.

"We hoped that his improvement in Dragon Training would be enough to protect Hiccup from Pitch's Nightmares and Dark Magic that was somehow creeping into the school. That it and all of the praise from his Tribe would fill him with positive emotions and make him less susceptible to Pitch's magic." Toothiana said, meeting the newly-brunette princess with an equally saddened gaze. "We've been searching for holes within the castle's defenses since the four of you first faced him in the dungeons, hoping to protect everyone from it's influence, but every time we closed one, three more seemed to appear out of nowhere."

"We tried everything to keep Pitch out of the castle, away from you children, but we realized too late that it was the Fear and Nightmares of those within the castle that allowed the Dark Magic to break through the barrier that we had placed. We believe that the weakenings in the barrier is what allowed the dragon to enter the school that night, possibly chasing after a Nightmare." North sighed heavily, looking exhausted as he pressed his palms on the flat surface of his desk, leaning into them. "Fear is powerful because it exists inside every living thing. No one can escape it. That is how Pitch survives; feeding off of the Fear and Darkness in the world."

"So what?! We're just supposed to give up? To ignore the fact that a Dragon and Pitch were in the boy's bathroom that night? To just forget about Hiccup, like he never existed at all?" Jack shouted, fed up with the vague answers he was receiving through shadowed, pity-filled expressions.

"We know it hurts. And it is unfair. Believe me, we all went through the same thing when your father disappeared." Tooth spoke to him calmly, as the other Guardians nodded in agreement. "But not even Pitch has the power to completely erase his essence. Sandman was able to determine everyone in the bathroom with his own Sorcery. Pitch was there, yes, but it was a Dragon that fled into the forest and along the path where we found pieces of Hiccup's clothes and drops of his blood."

"NO!" Jack screamed, his hands balling into tight fists. "I won't give up on him! I can't! He would never stop looking if it was one of us!" His voice cracked and he squeezed his eyes shut in frustration as breathing got just a little harder. "We made a promise." He murmured more to himself than the others, but that didn't stop them from hearing it.

"Jack," North said softly. "We are all still grieving, and no one expects you to forget Hiccup... But, as much as we don't want to, we have to accept the fact that Hiccup isn't coming back. We need you three children to become Guardians and help us to fight Pitch, or good people are going to get hurt. The last thing we wanted to do is ask you kids to make a grown up decision, but it has come to that; We need you three to move on. We need you to let Hiccup go."

The silence was deafening, Merida and Rapunzel stood numbly, staring at different points on the floor but their eyes foggy as if they were seeing some far off memories. Jack squeezed his eyes shut again and then whirled around, storming out of the office with long strides.

No one tried to stop him.

* * *

The sounds of tearing parchment and papers being scattered across the stone floor echoed through the room as Jack ripped his research off of the pin board; tearing papers in half, sending pins clattering to the floor, and throwing the bits of threads about carelessly. When there was nothing left, the Winter Sprite stood, panting, in front of the large pin-board with nothing on it except for the picture of the four of them. The three of them with Hiccup.

Jack's breath caught in his throat and stuttered as all of the despair and anguish he'd been holding back for the past year finally broke from it's tightly sealed box in his heart. The tears flooded uncontrollably, spilling over his eyes and creating rivers down his cheeks as he turned away from the photo. He couldn't look any longer.

He pressed his palms into the desk, leaning on his arms for support as his body trembled with sobs that had been just beneath the surface since the day after the incident. Since the moment he'd been told what had happened. Since the school held a memorial and engraved a stone for his best friend.

Since they told him Hiccup was dead.

His mind supplied him with all of the memories they had shared, making his heart ache all the more. They had made so many promises to stick together, to always be there for each other. They were brothers, and Jack trusted him more than anyone else, would take his word above anyone else's because they had believed in each other. There was no question, they both knew from the very start that they could rely on each other through anything.

Hell, if anyone had told Jack during his first year that three years later, Hiccup would be gone, he would've punched them out. Because back then they would've been wrong. He would've known better because he and Hiccup had made a promise.

Who knew that after all this time, he'd be wrong?

Balling his fists, Jack used both his arms to throw everything off of the desk, one large swipe that caused everything to fall to the ground, and then he slammed his fists on the table, leaning on his forearms as he sobbed in that small room all alone.

* * *

Merida walked numbly into the Gryffindor common-room, ignoring the curious glances from her housemates who had been waiting for her return and even the voice of whoever had called after her as she slowly climbed the stairs to the girls' rooms. Some small part of her recognized that there was no one in the room and was thankful that she was alone, but mostly she couldn't feel anything.

She softly closed the door and leaned against it as she turned, letting her back press against the wood, and slid down it to sit on the floor, her knees pulled close to her chest.

How had everything gone from being so wonderful to so horribly wrong? Sure, things weren't perfect for them, and they had made stupid mistakes in their earlier years without really caring about what fools they were. They had shared so much laughter and a few tears, and Merida wanted nothing more than to have those days back. Those days were so much more simple. She'd give anything to have him back. So the four of them could laugh and hug like they used to, so they could be friends.

They'd been gifted with such a priceless love, and she'd been so blind. With all of the Sight she had, she couldn't See anything, couldn't protect one of the people who mattered most to her. If she had just accepted her Sight sooner, counted it and all her other blessings when she had the chance, then maybe Hiccup would still be there with them. But she was wrong.

Who knew all those skeptics would be right in the end?

Merida curled herself into an even smaller ball, her back pressed against the door as she buried her face in her arms and cried.

* * *

"Rapunzel!"

The princess looked up from her hands, which were subconsciously sorting herbs into different cupboards in the Hogwarts medical wing while her mind was stuck in memories and regrets.

"What's going on?" Emma walked up to her, looking worried and slightly out of breath, as she gave Rapunzel a questioning look. "Everyone wants to know what the Guardians said, but Jack won't talk to anyone and Merida's locked herself away in the Gryffindor girls' rooms!"

"Oh, Emma," Rapunzel breathed, still shaking off the haunting voices and figures that seemed determined to keep her mind in the past. She forced a smile through the damp feeling on her cheeks which had been rubbed profusely but still felt wet. "It's just... Well, the Guardians want us to join them and focus on helping them fight Pitch."

"What? But what about Hiccup? You guys aren't just going to give up, are you?" Emma questioned frantically, her amount of energy furthering the feeling of exhaustion Rapunzel was currently faced with.

"Emma, I'm sorry, but there are other people who can get hurt. Good people. Pitch is only getting stronger and the Guardians need all the help they can get... I'm sorry, but we have to move on. Hiccup would want us to keep going." Rapunzel told her gently, but Emma backed away when she tried to put a comforting hand on her shoulder and the younger girl gave a few slow, small shakes of her head in disbelief.

"No... You can't! There has to be more!" Emma argued vehemently and just as passionately as her brother, maybe even more so. "We can't just leave him behind!"

"Emma, none of us want to stop, but the truth is... Hiccup's gone. There's nothing more we can do, and there are other people in the world that need our help." Rapunzel tried again to explain, but Emma clenched her jaw stubbornly.

"No! I'll keep him locked in my head until I meet him again because I know there's more to this than what everyone says." Emma exclaimed, her chin held high. "I won't forget him or what happened." The younger girl turned on her heel with that and started from the room.

"Emma!" Rapunzel called after her, but the young Ravenclaw didn't listen and soon enough Rapunzel was alone again. She looked back at the herbs she'd been sorting and sighed, unable to work up the motivation to get back to work. Instead, she walked over to the cot set up off to the side for her. All those working in the medical wing received their own cot for late night shifts, and on Rapunzel's small bedside table was the picture of the four of them from first year.

She couldn't blame Emma for struggling with her grief. If someone had told her at the end of their first year that three years later one of her best friends would be dead, she would've punched them in the mouth... At least, that's what she would do now, looking back she probably would've been too timid for such an act, and that thought made her smile bitter-sweetly.

There were such precious memories, even the last one when she'd been cleaning up some more of his bruises and scrapes, and she cherish them all. It would be hard with time, and she knew that the wounds would never fully heal, but she'd keep his memory with her and in her dreams she'd visit simpler, precious times when everything was innocent and bright.

But she wouldn't let the past stop her from doing what was right. She was going to help people. She didn't know how, or if she even could without her hair, but she was going to spend the rest of her life trying. She owed it to Hiccup. And she was going to start with Jack and Merida. They were always so strong and brave, this time she'd let them cry and vent their pain, and she would shed a few tears in private, but ultimately muster the strength for them to lean on her instead. She'd be strong and help others in all the ways she had failed Hiccup.

She reached over and gently turned their picture face down, hiding it from view and squashing the part of her that longed to be in that moment of joy again.

Who knew that, three years later, this is where they'd end up?


	23. Ready The Ships

**Music:** "Ready the Ships" by John Powell

 _NOTES:_ "You are not weak just because your heart feels so heavy."

**Chapter 23: Ready The Ships**

Shouts filled the air as the ships rocked and slammed against the docks from all the the movement of the men jumping to and from the decks of the ships. Giant piles of weapons clattered as they were thrown aboard different vessels, the wood of the ships groaned with the weight of the catapults as they were rolled on and strapped down, and the sails billowed as Toothless, bound and shackled to a large platform, was raised onto the head ship by a pulley system with several men on the ground to guide the platform.

Dagur grinned maliciously as his men finished securing Toothless to the deck of the ship and then looked up the mountain of Berserker Island, past the families of children and mothers and elders that had come to see off the warriors and cheer them onward, to see Hiccup being dragged up the hill by one of Berserker Island's prison keepers. The boy struggled against the long, enchanted chains that bound his magic and his wrists behind his back, pulling him farther and farther up the mountainside as the guardsman yanked on them, dragging the slight boy along by force. Hiccup looked on in despair as his dragon was slowly being taken away from him.

Growing tired of Hiccup's struggling, the Guardsman finally threw down the chain and grabbed onto Hiccup's arms, all but carrying the boy up to the mountaintop as he cried out in protest and strained to watch the ships as they began departing from the island, taking Toothless with them.

When they reached a clearing two-thirds of the way up the mountain, the Guardsman carried Hiccup into a large structure and soon after threw him into a cell. Hiccup scrambled to his feet and lunged towards the door, but was met with the back of a fist to his face. Hiccup hit the ground hard, his head bouncing off of the stone, and as he lay there, dazed and struggling to get up, the guardsman removed the lead chain from the shackles on his wrists and added a large shackle around his neck, which was attached to the floor by a medium length chain.

"A dog's collar and leash!" The guardsman sneered viciously as he gave Hiccup a kick to the ribs with a cruel laugh. "Perfect for a little mongrel like you!"

Hiccup panted, struggling to catch his breath as the guardsman left with another bellowing laugh. Quickly his struggling to breathe turned into his trying to hold back the sobs that desperately wanted to rip themselves out of his throat. He wanted to cry, to scream, to Wail. But he swallowed down the noise and curled into a fetal position, his arms wrapped around his center as the tears leaked from the corners of his eyes and a few shaky breaths forced their way through his nose.

How could he have been so stupid? How could he have actually let himself believe that his friendship with Toothless wouldn't end up the same way as every single one before? How could he have believed that this time would be different? That he wouldn't screw things up for everyone around him? After all the times he'd ruined something good and wonderful, how could he have believed that this would last?

Now Toothless was going to pay the price, and it was all his fault.

* * *

"Get that sail tied down! Baton down the hatches!" Eret shouted as he stalked along the length of the ship, adjusting ropes and tying down equipment, his long strides carrying him place to place.

The ocean water rushed along the sides of the boat which moved at speeds usually impossible for ships, but with the help of Hookfang, Barf-Belch, and a decent amount of rope, the BlueBlazer was moving faster than she ever had before, following after the trail they'd picked up from where the dragons had lost Cat and Toothless.

Eret climbed the steps to the bridge and found Talia seated in the back corner on a crate, her fingers fidgeting with the Berserker arrow they'd found at the scene. Her eyes were distant and clouded as she worried her bottom lip between her teeth.

"We'll find him, Lass." Eret tried to assure her softly, resting a comforting hand on her shoulder, but when Talia looked up at him her expression was less than convinced.

"We _have_ to find him, Eret." Talia stressed after taking a deep but shaky breath.

"We will. We'll find him and save him from whatever mess he's gotten into with the Berserker Tribe, but we have to be smart about this. They're not called 'Berserkers' for nothing, you know. They're ferociousness and cruelty in battle are legendary." Eret cautioned her, and logically Talia knew everything Eret said was right and that they had to be careful if they wanted to be any help at all, but it didn't lessen the aching twist in her chest that made it hard for her to breathe.

She knew there wasn't anything else they could do. They were traveling as fast as they possibly could, and they needed to be smart to make sure they didn't end up dead, but Talia couldn't help feeling that the others didn't quite know the seriousness of the situation. They'd only ever known _Cat_ and had grown to care and accept him as one of their own, just as they did with her afterwards, but she held the burden of knowing more. Because once before in their small bit of shared past, she had known _Hiccup_...

"LAND HO! BERSERKER ISLAND AT ONE O'CLOCK!" Ug shouted out to the ship, and Talia's head snapped up as she jumped out of her seat, racing to the railing of the ship to peer over the side and out into the distance.

Sure enough; there was the small, but mountainous island of the Berserker Tribe, the dark silhouette of a spiked dragon painted on almost every flag. Despite the tales and reputation Berserker Island held for it's fierce and loud people and a lively trading economy due to their looser moral code that allowed pirates to dock and trade, the place seemed to be very quiet and... empty.

Only three ships were docked at the island's port, and one of them was undergoing repairs. The fire in the watch towers were unlit and there was no noise indicating the everyday life of a viking village. No yelling or screaming, no fighting, no sheep or yaks out in the open fields. There was hardly anything at all. The men, with confused and wary expressions, gathered at the center of the deck as Eret went down the steps from the bridge, and Talia hurried behind to catch up so she could be apart of the coming conversation.

"How should we proceed, Captain?" Teeny and the others looked at Eret, wondering what the skilled pirate might have planned for infiltrating a Viking Island; a feat never attempted except by other vikings back when the tribes were at war with each other instead of with the dragons. Pirates were smart enough to know that Vikings were hardened veterans and terrifying fighters that no one in their right minds would want to purposefully go into battle against... Except maybe the Scottish, but their own stubbornness nearly matched the Vikings'.

"There's a small beach off to the Eastern side of the island. We'll anchor behind a Seastack near there and a small group of us will take the paddle boat in. We'll try to keep this as quiet as possible, but if we don't come back after two hours, assume we have been captured and begin formulating a rescue plan with the dragons. Understood?" Eret leveled his crew with a stern, determined look and they all stood straight at attention.

"Aye-Aye, Captain!" They chorused as one and then immediately went to their duties to carry out the Captain's orders, moving like a well-oiled machine.

Eret turned to Talia, who felt that uncomfortable twist inside of her chest tighten as she glanced over at the silent island.

"You don't think...?" She trailed off, not wanting to voice the idea that was increasingly taking over her storming thoughts.

"We can't lose hope. We just have to believe in Cat and trust that he can look after himself until we find him."

Talia nodded in agreement, but her gaze was fixed on the island in the distance.

* * *

The fog was thick, blocking any view from the ship that was beyond ten feet ahead of them, and a cold chill had settled over all of the Vikings aboard the War Vessels as whispering chatters echoed endlessly through the fog; hissing and clicking.

Toothless could hear the Call of Kappi and the harsh whispers of all the dragons under her control.

Without Hiccup there with him, Toothless had no anchor to hold onto, and fighting Kappi's Call was near impossible. His ears twitched with every change in pitch, and he scanned the fog for a clear path to her Majesty's resting place. The wood beneath his giant paws felt rough and uncomfortable, his wings itched to stretch out and take flight as he leaned forward, pulling against the binds that kept him.

Eventually, the island's coast became visible through the thickness of the fog, and the boats rocked awkwardly as their bellies scraped up onto the rocky beach of the volcanic island. The whispering of the enslaved dragons was deafening now, too loud for even the humans to miss it, and the pure Anxiety that permeated the air was almost suffocating as Dagur swung himself over the side of the side. The second his feet stamped onto the pebbly shore all noise stopped, leaving them in an overwhelming silence.

Dagur's deranged eyes scanned along the land quietly, and then a slow, malicious grin spread across his face.

* * *

Their footsteps echoed against the stone walls as they raced through the dungeons, searching for their missing friend. Talia's heart felt like it was in her throat as she scanned cell after cell in search of the familiar brown hair and bright green eyes. A small sense of relief washed through her as Eret rounded the corner and jerked to a stop with a shocked exclamation.

"Cat!" He said, his eyes widening as he took in the young boys ragged appearance and the chains that kept him. Talia rushed over and rounded the corner then, stopping right beside Eret.

"Hiccup!" She gasped, ignoring Eret's confused look at the name and lunging forward with a jingling set of keys that she'd gotten off the guard Teeny and Ug were currently tying to a chair back at the front door.

She unlocked the barred door and swung it open, but the boy didn't respond to either of the names they'd called out. He just continued staring at the rough texture of the stone floor as Talia dropped to her knees beside him and grabbed his shoulders, giving him a shake.

"Cat! Come on, wake up! We're here now! We gotta find Toothless and get out of here!" Talia practically yelled at him, but somehow managed to remember herself enough to not use his given name.

"Toothless is gone." Cat muttered, still not looking at her, and looking utterly defeated. "Dagur wants to use him to find the Dragons' Nest."

"Well, then we need to go after them!" Talia said, after recovering from her shock, wondering why this wasn't the obvious course of action to Cat. What was wrong with him?! "It's a mess, yeah, but we can still fix this if we work together!"

"And then what? The whole Berserker tribe knows I'm alive, Talia." Cat's voice was flat, his eyes still fixed on the damn floor, and even though Talia knew the full weight of the situation, she still couldn't believe that this was it. This wasn't the end of Cat, Hiccup, whatever he wanted to be called!

"Yes, I get that." Talia snapped, her hands balling into fists in her lap. "You've lost everything; Your father, your tribe, your best friends, and now you're losing Toothless, too!"

"Thank you, for summing that up." His tone was dry, and he rolled his eyes.

"But who of us hasn't lost everything? Wasn't that the point? What happened to Ohana?" Talia demanded of the scrawny pirate. "We still have a chance to turn things around! How can you just sit there and give up?!"

"Because they were right!" Cat shouted suddenly, his eyes snapping up to hers with an intense glow and no white showing, and then slowly the fight drained from his shoulders and eyes as his gaze fell back to the floor. "Mildew, Dagur, the Guardians, Pitch; they all saw it. I'm a _Monster_."

"What are you even talking about?" Talia wanted to know, entirely confused, and at nearly the same time Eret exclaimed, "What kind of bullshit is that?!"

"You don't understand!" Cat told them, meeting their gazes for a few tense moments with water-filled eyes and then slowly pulling the bandages off of his left hand and arm.

It was as the dirtied-linen fell away, revealing more and more of the iridescent black scales underneath, that Talia realized that she'd never seen Cat take off those bandages since she joined the BlueBlazer crew. That she realized what had really happened that night Hiccup disappeared.

"It was _Me_. _I_ called the lightening that struck Mildew. _I_ was the one who shattered the mirrors and hurt Tadashi. _I'm_ the Fourth Child of Prophecy that Pitch wanted for his apprentice. I've _always been_ a Monster. I'm a Curse and Bad Luck. Destruction and Chaos follow me wherever I go, and it's never me who gets hurt, it's always someone else! Someone I care about! This whole mess is all my fault!" Hiccup held out his left arm, his gaze completely downcast in shame now.

Talia didn't know how to respond, in all honesty she didn't understand half of what Hiccup was telling them, but it seemed like some kind of wall had finally been cracked to the point of breaking, and now that he'd started, he couldn't stop the flood.

"You two are Wizards." Eret stated quietly, his eyes wide as saucers as he caught on to some of what they were saying. Hiccup responded by shrinking farther into himself.

"I'm a Witch, yes." Talia admitted softly, not taking her eyes off of Hiccup. "But you're a Sorcerer, aren't you?"

"I don't know what I am." Hiccup whispered, letting both his arms fall limp into his lap, the chains clanking loudly as he moved. "Why couldn't I have killed that dragon when I found him in the woods? Wouldn't it have been better for everyone?"

"...Maybe, for some. Anyone else would've done it. So why didn't you?" Talia pressed gently, and when he hesitated to answer, she pushed again. "Why didn't you?"

"I don't know," Hiccup said weakly. "I couldn't."

"That's not an answer." Talia insisted.

"Why is this so important to you all of a sudden?!" Hiccup wanted to know, his reflecting his annoyance from her questioning.

"because I wanna remember what you say. Right Now." Talia retorted with pure determination, and Hiccup rolled his eyes again.

"Oh, for the love of-! I was a Coward. I was Weak. I Wouldn't Kill a Dragon!" Hiccup blurted out his frustration, and Talia smirked.

"You said 'Wouldn't' that time." She pointed out immediately.

"Oh, Whatever! I Wouldn't!" Hiccup fumed. "Three Hundred Years, and I'm the first Viking who Wouldn't Kill a Dragon."

Talia heard Eret suck in a tight breath at that new revelation, but she didn't look back. After holding her gaze a long moment, Hiccup turned away, his shoulders slumped, but she wasn't done yet.

"First to ride one, though." She saw his head and shoulders lift slightly in silent surprise. "So...?"

"...I wouldn't kill him because he looked as frightened as I was." Hiccup confided to them, and Talia wondered if this was the first time he'd ever said it out loud. "I looked at him, and I saw myself."

"And that's how I know that you're Not a Monster." Talia told him, and Hiccup's eyes widened as they searched her face for some kind of clue as to what she meant. "I'm not some wise master of the universe, but the Hiccup I know is kind and gentle. He's quiet and a total nerd, but will stand up for what he thinks is right. He'll do anything for the people he cares about." Talia slowly reach out to touch Hiccup's left hand, and he tensed, so Talia thought better and rested it on top of his right arm that was hiding his left anyways. "I don't know anything about prophecies or who's meant to be what, but I know that you're a Good Kid, Hiccup. No matter what anyone says, you're not a Monster."

"Aye," Eret agreed, kneeling down beside Talia with a smile. "I may not know everything about your past, but I've known Monsters; You are not one of them." He reached out and placed a hand on top of Hiccup's head, ruffling his hair a little.

"But how can you be so sure?" Hiccup whispered.

"Because you wake up every morning to fight the same demons that left you so tired the night before, just to keep everyone else safe, and that, Hiccup, is bravery." Talia smiled at him. "You think you deserve this pain, but you don't." Talia took her hand from Hiccup's arm and used it to take the keys and start unlocking his chains. "I'll bet you that Toothless is pretty scared right now. What are you gonna do about it?"

Hiccup considered her words for a moment as the clasp from around his neck fell to the floor with a clatter, and then he picked up his bandages with his left hand. "Ehh... probably somethin' stupid."

"Good. But you've already done that...?" Talia trailed off teasingly.

"Then Something Crazy." He said with a small half-smile.

* * *

The silence was twisting his stomach into knots over and over again as his ears buzzed with nothingness. It seemed as though all of nature was holding it's breath except for the humans invading the island, completely unaware of their impending doom. Within an hour after landing their ships, the Berserker warriors had set up catapults for offensive strikes and giant spikes as defensive measures that would keep flying dragons from getting too close. Every warrior carried a razor sharp weapon and shield while the catapult operators lit small fires beside their stations to light torches. Dagur, with his top generals around him, drew in the dirt to depict their plan of attack on the mountainside that would open a direct channel to the heart of the nest, mostly muttering to himself, but occasionally shouting at someone.

Toothless watched as the Berserker Chief stepped away from his council of generals and took his place at the front of the armada. The watchmen called out to the ranks that the Chief was ready, causing the hundreds of vikings to ready their weapons and stand at attention for their leader's command. The catapult operators aimed their charges and prepared to open fire once Dagur gave the signal.

Toothless watched in helpless dread from the lead ship as the humans prepped for a battle they could never win, and he just hoped that somehow, he would make it out alive so that he could find Hiccup again.

Dagur took his place at the spear-head of their formation and raised his right arm high into the air, his palm open. There was a pause as all the catapults called out their ready, and then Dagur clenched his fist.

The catapults fired.


	24. Counter Attack!

**Music:** "Counter Attack" by John Powell

_NOTES: "Your soul knows when it's time to close a chapter..."  
_

**Chapter 24: Counter Attack!**

The earth shook with the force of the mountainside crumbling under the barrage of attacks from the Viking catapults. Stone cracking and crumbling, falling away to reveal a dark tunnel full of inky blackness. The Chief of the Berserker tribe stepped into the opening, standing in the mouth of the tunnel they had created and eying the darkness with an intense glare. He made a vague motion with his arm to his men behind him and one of the stones in the catapults was set aflame just before being launched right into the cave over Dagur's head.

The fire lit up the darkened space, revealing hundreds of thousands of dragons clinging to the walls of the cavern, shifting around each other and slithering over one another as they grappled for purchase on the stone walls and ceiling.

As the stone was lost to the depth of the cavern, it's light fading completely from view, the Vikings held their ground in a tense silence, letting the darkness sit for a long, weighted moment. Then Dagur bellowed out a massive war cry, followed by a chorus of his whole armada behind him as they all raised their weapons and Dagur charged into the cave.

Chaos erupted from the cavern as all of the dragons that had been nervously shifting about burst into flight, taking to the sky and fleeing from the island as fast as they possibly could. Wave after wave of _FEAR_ and _DANGER_ overwhelmed Toothless's senses as his ears fell back against his head at the shrieking silence he could sense from inside the volcano as well as the panicked voices of his brethren taking flight while he was unable to.

The Vikings' yelling eventually subsided to confused murmurs as they realized that the dragons had no interest in them whatsoever and left the island without so much as a look in their direction. After a few moments of stunned silence, a call went out, followed by many cheers as they counted this a victory for themselves.

Meanwhile, Toothless was suffocating on the anxiety-filled scents that the other dragons left behind as he struggled against his bonds, his heart pounding and his skin crawling across his muscles and bones as he sensed what was coming.

Dagur stood tall with a wide and smug grin on his face as his army celebrated, that is, until a deafening shriek and a burst of hot air came rushing out of the cave, raising up dust and sending a terrified shudder down Toothless's spine. The waters rocked the boats in the shallows of the shore, the ground began to shake and crack as the Vikings' cheers turned from celebratory to murmured confusion and then frightened chaos as they started rushing away from the mountainside.

Then the cliff-face collapsed, crumbling to pieces, as Queen Kappi used her armored head to crash through the solid rock. She broke through the stone, swinging her head back and forth as she shook off the rubble that fell down onto her back. Once she was free, she planted her feet on the pebbly shore and let out a bellowing, earth-shattering roar filled with _Rage_ and _Hunger_.

The Queen was on the Hunt.

"Beard of Thor!" One of the Berserker generals shrieked in terror. "What is that thing?!"

"CATAPULTS!" Dagur screamed at his men, spitting fury as his face turned purple with anger towards the fear of his warriors. The catapults were launched, sending massive stones flying at the monstrous dragon before the Vikings, but they bounced off of her hide as if they were mere cotton flowers.

Kappi reared back with a snarl and then plunged forward, snapping her powerful jaws on one of the catapults and smashing it to pieces in the blink of an eye. As she moved forward on the beach, her massive paws crushed the Viking contraptions, and the Vikings fled farther back towards the water.

"To the Ships!" Someone shouted over the chaos, but Dagur slowed and swung his arm out to keep the men near him from continuing onward, much to their horror.

"No, NO!" Cried another general, no doubt realizing the same thing as Dagur, but it was already too late.

Kappi drew back slightly with a deep inhale, and then released a humongous flame that engulfed nearly half of Dagur's ships at once. Her fiery breath moved along the ships, burning each and every one as men threw themselves overboard to escape a painful death. Smoke billowed up from the devastation as Toothless remained trapped onboard the lead ship. He struggled against the restraints as the fire grew, eating away at the wooden vessel that would drag him to the bottom of the ocean if he could not free himself.

"Dagur! We must lead the men to the far side of the island!" Another general pleaded with the Chief, but the head Berserker just gave him a scowl and spat on the ground.

"Flee like cowards if you want!" Dagur spat, yanking a spear out of the ground while his other hand twirled his axe. "I am going to fight! DEATH OR GLORY!" Dagur roared in response to the Queen's reverberating voice that seemed to echo across the water of the sea.

As the majority of Dagur's men fled with the generals, several men and Dagur charged forward, screaming and yelling their battles cries as Kappi swung her massive head back and forth, eying the creatures even smaller than her pinky claw. Becoming annoyed with them, she pushed up onto her rear legs, inhaling deeply as the flammable gas pooled out of the corners of her mouth and around her razor sharp teeth.

She stretched to her fullest height, her jaws widening into a deadly snarl, but then a blast of fire exploded against the back of her head, throwing her off-balance and causing her to fall forward onto all-fours once again. Dagur jerked to a halt as a Deadly Nadder, a Monstrous Nightmare, a Gronkle, and a Zippleback swooped around on the right, giving the Queen a wide girth.

Hiccup was directing Stormfly at the front of the formation with Eret seated behind him, and Talia was flanking their right side with Hookfang. Teeny and Ug were working with Barf-Belch and trying hard nod to puke as No-Name clung to Meatlug's back.

"Ug, Teeny, watch your backs!" Hiccup shouted as he scanned the situation of the battlefield. "Move, No-Name!"

"I'm s-s-s-scared!" No-Name cried, as Teeny finally lost the battle for his last meal and leaned over to hurl.

"Keep it together you lily-livered pansies!" Eret snapped back at them, glancing down at the Berserkers who watching in dropped-jaw awe of them as the dragons swooped around Kappi a second time while she was distracted by the carcass of a boat some Vikings had been hiding underneath.

"Listen up!" Hiccup called to them, analyzing Kappi's weak spots. "The Queen has a heavily armored head and tail that won't take damage and will crush anything unfortunate enough to run into it, so steer clear of both. She's got small eyes and large nostrils, so she'll rely on hearing and smell. Talia, No-Name, hang in her blind spot and make some noise, keep her confused! Teeny, Ug, find out if she has a shot limit: Make her Mad."

"WHAT?!" Ug shrieked in horror, but Teeny managed a weak salute.

"We'll do our best." He wheezed as he swallowed thickly, finally getting used to being up in the air.

"We're going to make that thing even ANGRIER?!" Ug exclaimed, looking between Teeny and Hiccup with wide eyes.

"Just do what I told you! I'll be back as soon as I can!" Hiccup assured them, directing Stormfly away from the group as Eret gave them a parting salute and Talia called to the others to get moving.

Talia lead the charge as the other dragons swooped low under Kappi's tail and coming up behind her. Talia and No-Name pulled their dragons back to stay within the blind spot right by her ears, but Teeny and Ug flew onward until they were directly in front of the Queen's face like a buzzing gnat.

"Erm, Troll!" Teeny insulted her awkwardly, hoping it would invoke some kind of reaction.

"B-Butt Elf!" Ug added from his place on Barf's neck, farther away from Kappi than Teeny and Belch were.

"Bride of Grendel!" Teeny shouted as they veer away and a blast of fire followed after them as Kappi tried to consume them with her flame.

Meanwhile, Talia clanged her sword and dagger together to making as much noise as possible in the Queen's ear while No-Name did the same with his shield and his half-spear. This worked well in disorienting Kappi, but as they continued their audible assault, No-Name was met with three more eyes opening and peering directly at him.

"Um, this thing doesn't have a blind spot!" No-Name hollered, as Kappi shook out her head, trying to shoo them away.

Hiccup and Eret were unaware of these goings on as they swooped over the shore and the ships burning on the bank. They both searched the beach from their vantage point on Stormfly's back, but their sight was slightly skewed by the amount of smoke rising from the island and Kappi's overpowering presence made it impossible for Hiccup to sense where his dragon was. However, the desperate roar that called for _Help!_ and _Ohana!_ had Hiccup's ears twitching as his head perked up in the direction of the sound. There was no doubt that it was Toothless, and, sure enough, Hiccup spotted his Night Fury trapped aboard one of the ships that was being engulfed by flames on the waters' edge.

"There!" Hiccup said, angling Stormfly back towards the ship they'd passed as Eret followed the line of his gaze. Within seconds, Stormfly was hovering among the smoke and flames as Hiccup leaped for her back, landing on the deck of the ship with a sound thump. Eret followed directly after as Hiccup. "You should go help the others!" Hiccup told him, but Eret shook his head.

"Stormfly's a smart girl, she can manage on her own. Besides, we've got a bit of a Berserker problem." Eret nodded and Hiccup turned to see Dagur stalking towards the ship, a vicious and blood-lusting look on his face. "I'll handle our friend there, you get Toothless free." Eret ordered lightly, patting Hiccup's shoulder as he was already rushing towards the Berserker Chief.

Hiccup nodded, even though Eret didn't see it, and turned to Stormfly. "Go help Talia and the others!"

 _"Be careful, hatchling!"_ Stormfly squawked in return, but complied with his wishes and flew off towards the battle with the Queen.

"Okay, hold on! Hold on!" Hiccup muttered to Toothless as he yanked the leather muzzle from his dragon snout and then picked up a broken metal rod to use as leverage against the chains holding Toothless.

Eret's feet hit the pebbly shore at a sprint and he met the Berserker Chief with a mighty clashing of their swords, equally terrifying snarls ripped across their faces as they glowered at each other from opposite sides of their stalemate.

"Step aside, _Pirate_! You have no business here!" Dagur spat at Eret as the metal of their swords ground against each other.

"Funny," Eret growled in response. "Because last time I checked, you made it my business by kidnapping two of my crew!"

Eret gave a mighty shove, overpowering Dagur, and the Berserker Chief was forced to move back or be pushed to the ground. Dagur moved away and the two began to circle each other as realization dawned on the young Chief's face.

"So you're in league with the Hooligan Traitor." Dagur hissed, his eyes flashing furiously as he gripped his sword in both hands, but his mouth pulled into a vindictive smile. "I guess it isn't much of a surprise considering his ancestry. Ha! This must be Grimbeard's lineage returning to it's origin; Scum and Vermin." Eret's eyes widened of their own accord as he realized just what Dagur was saying, and the Berserker grinned. "Oooooooh! So little _Hiccup Haddock_ didn't tell you where he came from? Well, maybe now you'll understand how treacherous he truly is."

"You're wrong." Eret retorted immediately, shaking his head clear of the surprise. "I may not know much about how you Vikings live, but I know that you've got this wrong." He kept moving, swinging his sword around with one hand to keep his grip loose. "That boy, whoever he is and whatever he's done; He is still Good. And I will fight for him."

"Then you will _Die_ for him!" Dagur cursed, lunging at Eret, who brought up his sword to block Dagur's attack.

Back up in the air, Talia and No-Name had yet to cease in their efforts to distract Kappi from further destruction, and as their efforts began to produce some fruits in the Queen's movements becoming sluggish and unbalanced, they gave cheers of excitement.

"It's working!" Talia called out.

"Yeah! It's Working!" No-Name laughed in semi-hysteria.

So focused on the deadly beast they were trying to disorient, they failed to realize the effect the noise was having upon their own dragons. Hookfang shook his head, trying to clear it and remain coherent, but his vision was blurry and he felt dizzy from the sharp clanging sounds piercing his ears. Without realizing, he swayed to close to Kappi and his back hit the side of her head, causing him to throw his neck as the force pushed his body down. Talia screamed as she went flying over the giants head, her sword and dagger lost in the tumble, and just barely managed to catch on by the Queen's eyebrow ridge, scrambling up onto Kappi's head as her heart pounded in her chest.

"Something's wrong! Meatlug's lost control!" No-Name cried, looking over at Talia and throwing her his spear. "It's up to you, Talia!" He said as Meatlug quickly lost altitude, clumsily falling to the pebbly shore and rolling over on top of No-Name as he let out a yelp. The two struggled to right themselves as Kappi glared down at them. The Queen lifted her foot, preparing to crush them, and Talia gasped sharply. She clenched the spear in both hands and drove it into the Queen's eye.

Kappi let out a roar of pain as blood leaked from the corner of her eye, she turned away from the pain on instinct and her foot landed right next to No-Name and Meatlug instead of on top of them. But then she bucked her head to one side and Talia was thrown into the air a second time, flying over the Queen's head once again. As she fell she managed to catch her upper body on one of Kappi's crown-spikes that resembled coral, her legs swinging as she held on for her life.

Enraged, Kappi swung around wildly, her tail swiping the tops of the ships, which caused the mast of the ship beside Hiccup and Toothless to fall directly at them.

 _"LOOK OUT!"_ Toothless roared as Hiccup managed to just barely lunge out of the way of the smoldering log.

A moment later, Kappi's back foot stomped on the ship, sending them to the bottom of the sea. Toothless's platform fell into the water, dragging Toothless to the ocean's floor along with it, and Hiccup dove in after him, intent on getting his dragon free of his bonds. Toothless looked at him, radiating _GO!_ in the hopes that Hiccup would listen and save himself, but the boy returned the feeling with _Determination_ and _Ohana_. He would not leave Toothless behind.

The dragon boy grabbed hold of one of the chains and yanked on it as hard as he could, trying in vain to set his dragon free. Toothless pulled against his restraints as he watched his boy slowly begin to lose the air in his lungs. Suddenly, a hand reached out of the inky blackness of the sea and grabbed Hiccup's scruff, dragging the half-drowned boy up towards the surface and away from his Night Fury.

 _"Hiccup!"_ Toothless's roar was muffled by the water as he watched his boy get taken away by a human that he could not identify.

Eret broke the surface of the water, tugging Hiccup along with him as he huffed deep breaths in and out. He pulled Hiccup to shore and placed him on a solid rock where he sputtered and coughed up salt water, but Eret didn't wait for him to get his bearings. The pirate immediately turned and dove back into the ocean, swimming as fast as he could to the dragon that was still trapped there, looking defeated and ready to accept the cold embrace of death.

 _"Not yet, Toothless!"_ Eret thought as he reached the Night Fury, his head shooting up to look at Eret as he grabbed the broken metal rod Hiccup had been using from the ocean floor. Eret jammed it into the seam where the two halves of the wood circle met and used all of his strength to pull down. Toothless instantly tried to help by pulling on his restraints as well and after a few tense moments, the choker gave way, freeing Toothless from his confines.

The dragon immediately surged forward, grabbing the pirate and flying out of the water as fast as he could. He broke the surface an glided over the shore, lightly dropping Eret before landing and shaking off on a higher rock where he could look out at the battle between the Queen and their friends. He looked back at Hiccup, looking eyes with him, and then nodded towards the battle with a small roar.

"You got it, bud." Hiccup grinned, needing no words to communicate their next move, he ran forward and leaped into the saddle, settling himself as he prepared to fly.

"Cat!" Eret called out, his hand grabbing hold of Hiccup's forearm to keep him from rushing off and to get his attention. They held gazes for a moment and then Eret spoke. "You don't _Have_ to go up there. Those people... no one would blame you for walking away from them."

Hiccup paused, the long breath he drew in was shaky, but he felt oddly steady. "We both know she'll start hunting and who knows how long it will be before she stops." Hiccup exhaled heavily. "She'll start with the closest island... and Berk won't have any idea of what's coming." Hiccup met Eret's gaze again, but this time, with a small, determined half-smile. "Besides, I'm a Dragon Rider; it's an Occupational Hazard."

Eret smirked at him and used his free hand to clasp it over Hiccup's. "Then get up there and give 'em hell."

A surprised chuckle bubbled out of his throat and then Hiccup nodded. "Thanks, Eret."

Hiccup turned and laid his left hand on Toothless's head, letting their Magics flood and blend together with an electric, humming energy. They shared a look and then simultaneously they coiled every muscle in their bodies, crouching down and wiggling their shoulders in preparation. They shot into the sky with their hearts beating in perfect sync and the wind rushing passed them as their adrenaline climbed with the same speed as their altitude.

"He's up!" Talia called joyously to the others after managing to climb back onto Kappi's head.

"Talia, heads up!" Teeny called out to her as he and Ug swooped passed on Barf-Belch, drawing the Queen's attention as Stormfly flew up, heading straight at Talia. The girl stumbled to her feet, running across Kappi's head and leaping off of her nose-tusk just as Stormfly flew passed, and she caught hold of the dragon's wing, climbing onto her back as she tilted to make the feat easier for Talia.

They flew around the Queen's head, turning in a full arc, and then rushed to get off of the battlefield, but Kappi caught sight of them and with a massive inhale of breath she started pulling Stormfly and Talia towards her wide-open jaws with razor sharp teeth longer than Talia was tall.

A shriek split the air, echoing loudly off of the cliff-face. Eret and No-Name, along with Teeny and Ug who had just landed, looked up along with the Berserker's who were still fleeing and they all saw the dark shadow streaking across the sky faster than their eyes could follow.

"NIGHT FURY!" Someone shouted.

"GET DOWN!" Eret yelled as he remembered what all the stories had told him about that sound.

A black dot through the fog, they flew straight at Talia, Stormfly, and the Queen. Toothless waited until the very last possible second as to avoid hitting Stormfly or Talia, and then fired a well-charged plasma-blast at the Queen's jaw. Kappi's jaw snapped shut as her head was knocked to the side by the force of the blast, Stormfly was thrown off to the left, and Talia was sent flying to the right.

Talia Screamed as she fell with no other dragons to catch her, and Toothless opened his swings wide to slow down and then shot back towards the falling girl, Hiccup working the tail-fin in perfect sync with the Night Fury's movements. They flew passed Kappi, intercepting Talia's course, and the screaming immediately stopped as Stormfly managed to right herself and Toothless flew off from the battlefield right behind her.

"Did you get her?" Hiccup asked Toothless, unable to see around his dragon's large wingspan, and Toothless looked down at where Talia dangled from his paw's grip by one foot. The girl looked up at him with a wide grin, and Toothless smiled back at her, letting _Success!_ radiate from him to let Hiccup know she was alright.

Toothless flipped Talia to be right-side-up by grabbing onto her arm and then used his back feet on her back to steady her as he placed her on the ground near Eret and the others, pausing for only a second before continuing onward. Talia stumbled a little as her feet hit the ground, but she stayed on her feet with her gaze locked on Hiccup and Toothless as they flew off to battle with the Queen of Dragon Island.

"Go," She said breathlessly, a small smile crossing her lips as she watched the her student and his dragon fly.

"That thing has wings," Hiccup muttered to himself, calculating different strategies in his head as Toothless climbed higher and higher into the sky. "Okay, let's see if she can use them!" He pressed himself close to Toothless's back for better mobility, and Toothless responded in perfect sync by snapping out his wings, twirling around, and then snapping forward into a dive with a mighty battle roar. Toothless' wings tucked tight to his sides, Hiccup leaning forward to be as flat as possible, their Souls as One. The familiar shriek of Toothless charging his fire whistled through Hiccup's mind and hummed in his body, and then they fired.

The blast exploded against the Queen's shoulder, making her cry out as she tilted to one side, losing her balance. As she fell, crashing onto her side, the island shook and a giant dust cloud rose up, causing Talia and the others to cover their eyes before squinting through the cloud.

For about one heartbeat everything was silent, and then Kappi's massive wing began to rise from her slowly wakening body, stretching to it's fullest length. Hiccup looked back as he and Toothless kept flying in the hopes of guiding the fight away from their friends and the few Berserkers that were still fleeing.

"You think that did it?" He asked Toothless, but he was answered by the sight of Kappi clumsily flapping into the air as she regained her center, a furious roar blasting from her vocal cords. "Well, she can fly!" Hiccup gave Toothless a grin and the Fury snorted in agreement. They shot forward, diving through the fog and winding around sea stacks with more speed and agility than ever before, they soared over the beach of Dragon Island as Kappi crashed through seastacks and rock formations behind them. The BlueBlazer pirates watched in awe and wonder as Hiccup and Toothless shot passed, cheering them onward, and then ducking against more dust as Kappi sped by, smashing another seastack in her wake.

 _"We're going to need a plan!"_ Toothless called to Hiccup calmly, but sternly as he focused all of his energy into making sure they weren't caught. Hiccup kept glancing behind them, unsure of how to put more distance between them and the Queen, let alone how to counter such a larger and seemingly invincible opponent. Then he glanced up at the sky, seeing the dark covering of storm clouds moving in, and an idea struck him.

"Okay, Toothless, time to disappear!" Hiccup said into his dragon's ear, who's eyes narrowed with determination as he caught on to the plan. Hiccup angled the tail-fin down just as Toothless pointed himself upward. "Come on, bud!" Hiccup shouted as they shot towards the sky, Kappi following right behind them as the pirates gasped and pointed. As they flew a sharp energy zapped up Hiccup's spine as he sensed _Danger!_ Glancing back, he saw the beginnings of green gas collecting inside of Kappi's mouth. "Here it comes!"

Surprised, Toothless dove to his left just as a giant pillar of flame blasted passed them. _"Good catch, Hiccup!"_ Toothless praised as they finally reached the cover of the clouds, Kappi flying in right behind them.

The Queen came to a slow halt as she realized she could no longer see the pair within the darkness of the clouds. She let out frustrated growls and snarls as she swung her large head back and forth, searching for them. Hiccup could sense her _Rage_.

 _"YOU THINK YOU CAN DEFY ME?!"_ That awful hissing that was Kappi's voice thundered inside of Hiccup's head, and he worked hard to block out the pain it brought with it. _"I AM KAPPI THE QUEEN OF WAR! I WILL DESTROY ALL WHO RISE UP AGAINST ME! DO YOU THINK I FEAR YOU, NIGHT FURY?! I HAVE HEARD OF YOU! YOU ARE AN ABOMINATION! A SERVANT TO A HUMAN HATCHLING! YOU ARE A DISGRACE TO YOUR KIND! WHAT SHAME YOUR KIN MUST FEEL!"_

As she spoke, Hiccup began to feel her pulling at his mind, using her Fury to overpower any Will that tried to stand against her, but Toothless' voice quickly pulled him back. _"Block her out, Hiccup!"_ He said, glancing back at him. _"She cannot control you. Not unless you let her."_

Hiccup wanted to question him, but it wasn't the time or place, so he simply did as he was told by using all of his strength to push Kappi out of his mind. Sensing his stronger mental stability, Toothless made a sharp turn and dove, his shriek echoing through the sky. Using the clouds as their cover and to confuse Kappi, they attacked her with a barrage of plasma blasts. They came from all directions, using their high speeds to fuel the power of Toothless' fire.

After taking several hits, Kappi screamed and let out a continuous stream of fire as she moved her head around in every direction. Apparently fed up with their hiding, she intended to force them into view by attacking everywhere at once.

"WATCH OUT!" Hiccup cried as they ducked and wove to avoid the fire, and though they escaped death, Toothless' tail-fin was caught ablaze and began to burn. "Okay, time's up. Let's see if this works."

They looped around, back towards Kappi, and, avoiding her tail swiping through the clouds, they headed straight for her head. "Come on! That the best you got?" Hiccup taunted with false bravado as Toothless roared. Catching sight of them, Kappi lunged at them, snapping her powerful jaws, but missed as Toothless angled straight down in a nose-dive. Blinded by her rage, Kappi dove after them without a second thought.

 _"Hiccup?"_ Toothless questioned warily as their dive started to become slightly wobbly, the tail burning faster and faster as Hiccup tried to work the peddle under his foot.

"Stay with me, buddy. We're good, just a little bit longer!" Hiccup tried to assure him, though some of his desperation leaked into his voice as they raced towards the earth. Hiccup could feel the moment Kappi's eyes squinted at them, narrowing her sight to only them, and he felt more than heard the inhale of breath that soon followed. "Hold, Toothless." Hiccup managed to say steadily. He held his breath as Kappi's opened her jaw, revealing endless razor-sharp teeth, and the familiar green gas filled her throat.

"NOW!"

Toothless swung himself around clumsily, still falling towards the earth, and shot one last plasma blast straight into Kappi's mouth, igniting the gas and setting fire to the Queen, who gave a guttural noise of pain as her vocal cords were consumed by her own fire. As the clouds parted to reveal the fast-approaching ground, Kappi's eyes widened and she snapped her wings out to try and slow herself, but her thin wings could not take her weight moving a such a speed and began to tear apart like cloth kites. Toothless managed to right himself and then snap his wings open, jerking back almost painfully and then swerving sharply to avoid Kappi's fiery mouth.

 _"NOOOOOO!"_ The Queen roared as she flew into a face-first crashed landing that resulted in a giant, rushing explosion, the fire seemingly chasing after Toothless and Hiccup as they flew as fast as they could, weaving between Kappi's spikes, with the broken tail-fin. Hiccup kept working the pedal, but the metal frame of the tail finally snapped and fell into the fire, leaving them unable to maneuver as Kappi's tail came falling directly on top of them.

"No," Hiccup said as they tried to veer out of the way. "No!" The tail slammed into them, knocking Toothless to the side, but hitting Hiccup in the head. Spinning around as he tumbled through the air, Toothless tried to keep his eyes on his boy, unconscious and falling into the fire.

 _"Hiccup!"_ Toothless shouted, straightening himself out and diving into the fire as he reached for the little Viking Boy.


	25. Coming Back Around

**Music:** "Where's Hiccup" & "Coming Back Around" by John Powell (Httyd)

_NOTES: "Forget what hurt you, but never forget what it taught you."_

**Chapter 25: Coming Back Around**

The haze was thick, the dust of the explosion and ashes shifting through the air and making it nearly impossible to see more than five feet in front of them. Talia stumbled on a rock but stayed upright as she looked around, hoping to see something through the fog.

"Hiccup!" She called out, her head turning this way and that as some of the dust began to settle around her. "Hiccup!" She shouted again, this time more urgently as she walked forward, turning in circles to scan over as much ground as possible.

"Cat!" Eret called from somewhere close behind her, no doubt searching as hard as she for their missing companion.

Suddenly, Talia froze and her gaze fixated on a single spot a ways ahead of her. Among the ashes and rubble lay Toothless, slumped awkwardly on the ground as a dark lump and unmoving. Talia's heart stopped and then began hammering inside of her chest as she slowly moved into a run towards Toothless.

"Toothless," She said, stopping near the dragon's side. He was breathing, but his saddle was empty. Talia watched as the Night Fury groaned, shifting onto his side for a slightly more comfortable position. Her gaze traveled down to his tail, the brown fabric burned away, leaving only the mangled metal skeleton of the prosthetic tail.

"Oh, Hiccup..." Talia mumbled, falling to her knees as footsteps pounded against the rocky shore behind her. Eret was suddenly beside her, quietly kneeling down with his hand falling on her shoulder in a small gesture of comfort, but Talia didn't lift her gaze. She kept looking down as her hands clenched into fists at her knees.

The dragons, Ug, Tiny, and No-Name all came up behind them, but kept a respectful distance. The crew members they'd left with the ship had yet to catch up, and Dagur, along with his forces, had fled during the battle to the other side of the island.

But Talia didn't care about any of that. She couldn't even hear the others murmuring to each other behind her. She stayed there, kneeling in the ashes as she stared at the unconscious Night Fury, unable to help even him because she knew next to nothing about dragons except for the few things Cat had taught her; none of them about how to heal a dragon. So she simply knelt there, frozen in that moment as her heart seemed to shatter one tiny shard at a time.

He was supposed to be the one. The one that would prove everyone wrong and become her Champion. She had really thought they'd had it. That he'd be the Hero, and they'd all be a team, a family, _Ohana_. He'd given her such Hope. Such Life... It had been so long since she'd been able to see any light in the world, everything had been so grey and dark, and then Hiccup came along and Changed Everything. How could she go back to that dreary existence now? Now that she'd known what it was to have companions that would always stand by her side? Now that she'd seen the Good in such crooked people? Now that she'd Flown on the Back of a Dragon? How could she forget the Dragon Boy who'd flipped the whole world upside down? How could it just be over?

How could he just die?

He'd been the closest thing to family she'd had since her grandfather passed, and he had believed in her when nobody else did; when she'd given up on herself and was ready to hang up her sword for good. He was _Good_ and _Kind_ and _Gentle_ and _Innocent_ and she would give anything just to have him back!

A quiet rumble and a groan from Toothless brought Talia and Eret's gazes up to the dragon, and the Night Fury shook his head a little bit as he blinked open bleary eyes, a protective light glinting off of his dazed pupils that weren't narrowed into slits but had more of a squarish quality rather than their usual open circles.

"Toothless?" Eret looked at the dragon desperately, either hoping that at least Cat's dragon had survived this mess, or maybe for a miracle, Talia wasn't sure, but as Toothless' eyes cleared and focused on her and Eret the wary and guarded look left his eyes. The Fury shifted again, but this time he unwrapped his wings from around his body to reveal a small, freckled boy laying unconscious in his large paws.

"Hiccup!" Talia cried in disbelief as she rushed forward only a step behind Eret. The pirate picked up the scrawny boy, but the limp boy gave no response, and Eret quickly placed an ear to his chest. For what felt like an eternity, it seemed as though the whole world held it's breath, and then Eret huffed out the breath he'd been holding.

"He's alive!" He exclaimed in joy and relief as he looked at Toothless. "You brought him back alive!"

Talia's heart leaped as cheers rose from all of the others behind them, the dragons roaring in victory for their weary comrades. Toothless just kept his eyes on Hiccup, entirely calm as long as the boy was in his sight, and Talia gently placed a hand on the Night Fury's head, gaining his attention for a moment as he let his head rest on the stone earth.

"Thank you, for saving him." Talia said to the dragon, though they all knew that Toothless had no need for a thanks. For the dragon would dive into the fire after his boy as many times as it took to make sure he was safe.

"Well, you know, Most of 'im." No-Name said after the others a drawn closer. Eret and Talia looked up at him to demand what he was talking about and why would he ruin such a peaceful moment, but then they noticed him looking down and followed his gaze to Hiccup's feet. Their eyes widened.

* * *

He felt warm... _Safe_... A familiar heartbeat gave him assurance that everything was okay. There was... _Excitement_ and... _Longing_. For what? What was wrong? Who was waiting?...

A couple of sniffs, a few puffs of air against his face. The quiet warbles of his same-soul, his giddiness barely contained as their magics reached for each other.

 _"Oh, it's Toothless,"_ Hiccup slowly blinked open his eyes to tiny slits and was met with wide pupils and a joyful warble. Toothless leaned forward, nudging Hiccup's cheek as _Happiness_ and _Love_ radiated from his core. "Hey, Toothless," Hiccup mumbled sleepily, and Toothless nudged him more vigorously, feeling so much joy in hearing his boy's voice again. "I'm happy to see you too, bud." Hiccup told him, but then Toothless accidentally placed his paw on Hiccup's stomach and pain jolted through the boy's whole body. "OOOH! What?!" Hiccup asked, confused by the amount of pain he felt and then, feeling wide awake after such an abrupt launching into a sitting position, realized he didn't recognize his surroundings at all.

The hut was tiny and, judging by the structure, temporary. The kind one would see at long-term encampments. He lay on a very simply constructed bed and the ground beneath it was little more than a few planks of wood laid to keep the bed from leaning to one side or the other. By the door the ground was only the earth and a small fire pit had been dug with a pot resting on the spit, the embers low.

"Uhhh, where are we...?" Hiccup asked, looking over at Toothless who was wiggling with his excitement over Hiccup being _Awake_! The Fury turned and leaped, jumping off one wall, over the fire pit, and then over to the other side of Hiccup's bed, nuzzling Hiccup's upper body happily. "Toothless, c'mon! What's going on? Where are we?"

 _"We're safe. You're safe. And you're finally awake!"_ Toothless mumbled in barely coherent speech as his emotions and instincts took charge of his actions. He ran in a circle and then ran towards the door, looking back at Hiccup as if expecting him to give chase.

Hiccup almost did, the warmth spreading through his chest acting as a tell-tale sign that he, too, was delighted and wanted to play. But he stopped. He sat back on the bed and lifted the scratchy blanket that had been laid on top of him, vaguely noting the scent of the BlueBlazer crew on it, and then he froze.

Toothless calmed at his boy's expression and slowly walked back toward him, sitting and tilting his head as he waited for the youngling's response. He sat, shocked, for a moment, and then his expression became sad. He exhaled heavily, his shoulders slumping forward, and then he moved to the edge of the bed, moving his legs over the edge.

He put his right foot on the ground, and then the wooden peg-leg of what remained of his left leg.

The false foot seemed to thump loudly against the planks of wood in the stillness of the small hut. Toothless leaned forward and sniffed at the simple piece of wood and then raised his head, a quiet rumble coming from deep in his throat as he silently looked at his boy with concern and also compassion. Hiccup met his gaze and took a deep breath, his wide eyes expressing his shock and his struggle to except his new circumstances. On his second breath, though, he looked down at the peg and a look that Toothless found hope in crossed his face; the look of a creature with the will to _Live_.

His determination quiet, but strong, Hiccup pressed his lips tight together and used the foot of the bed to haul himself onto his good leg. He looked down at the peg-leg and tried taking a step, which caused pain to shoot up from where the wood met what was left of his leg, and it made him give an 'oof' of struggle, but he still me Toothless' watchful eyes. Hiccup took another breath, puffed out his chest a little, and tried for another step.

This time the pain was much worse and he immediately fell forward, but Toothless caught him before he fall, using his head to support Hiccup and get him back on his mismatched feet. "Okay," Hiccup whispered more to himself as he hobbled closer to Toothless who offered his side to the boy. "Thanks, Bud," Hiccup said a little louder, and together they walked towards the door of the hut. Hiccup leaned on Toothless, hobbling a bit to find his center, and then slowly managing steps that grew better and better each time as Toothless' tail trailed behind them.

They reached the door and, with a little nudge from Toothless, Hiccup managed to get it open, revealing the bright and sunny day outside. Dragons flew about the island, _Hiccup's Island_ , as the men of the BlueBlazer worked with the creatures alongside them; making food in a large fire-pit, pitching tents, collecting water, cleaning the dragons, living in peace with _dragons_.

"I knew it. I'm dead!" Hiccup said simply, shocked and slightly wary at what he saw before him, and then he heard Eret laughing.

"No, but you gave it your best shot." The pirate grinned as he patted Hiccup's shoulder with his large hand, and Hiccup looked up at him, still confused. "So, what do you think?" Eret asked as they looked back out at their crew, moving forward as Toothless lingered in the doorway, and someone gave a shout that Cat was awake and suddenly everyone came running and the dragons perked with curiosity.

Everyone gathered around Hiccup and Eret, including Stormfly with the rest of their flock and Skullcrusher and a few other dragons. Talia appeared by Hiccup's side and hugged him tight around his neck, which made him smile when she pulled back and smirked at him.

"Turns out all we needed was a little more of _this_!" She said, making a vague gesture toward him as Hookfang nuzzled her shoulder with the end of his snout and she turned to scratch his chin.

"You just gestured to all of me." Hiccup commented, surprised and pleased by the sudden return of that remark he used to hear so often and hate so much. Talia just smiled and nodded knowingly.

"Well, most of you!" No-Name jumped in and Talia rolled her eyes as Eret chuckled. "That bits my handy work," He informed Hiccup, pointing to the wooden peg-leg.

"None of us are much in a Smithy," Eret said, gently putting a hand on Hiccup's shoulder and turning him so they were face-to-face. "But we forged what we could from the wreckage, and managed to haggle for what we thought you might need." Tiny stepped up beside the Captain with a bundle of red material and metal, some mangled rods and others fresh bits that could be melted down. Hiccup couldn't help the smile and warmth that spread through him as he realized just what his crew had done to try and help him all they could, and Eret smiled at him. "I can't imagine a world without you flying. No matter what, we'll get you back in the sky, Cat! -Or, ah, H-Hiccup, if that's what you prefer?"

Hiccup paused for a moment, unsure of how to answer that statement turned question, and then he considered the people around him, the dragons that had cared for him.

"Night Fury!" Someone suddenly shouted. "Get down!" Another cried. But before many of the men could get out of the way, Toothless had already leaped on top of half the crowd, pushing them this way and that as he made his way to Hiccup's side, displeased with being apart from his boy for so long.

Hiccup and Talia laughed as Eret chuckled, shaking his head in amusement. Toothless moved forward and affectionately rubbed his face against Hiccup's cheek, and the boy nuzzled back, unafraid to let his instincts do the talking at least a little bit. Then he looked up at Eret once again, a lightness in his shoulders that he hadn't felt in a long time.

"What do you say we get to work on that new tail?" Eret suggested, and Toothless gave a roar of excitement, nudging Hiccup again.

"Let's get to work!" Hiccup grinned, scratching Toothless' chin.

The next few weeks saw Hiccup at the make-shift forge on his island, which the BlueBlazer crew had fondly dubbed 'Dragon's Edge'. He worked and reworked blueprints and schematics of the new tail-fin and rigging system, surprising even himself with how much he remembered of the original design. Though replicating the tail was easy, he did have to find a new way of making the tail work with his prosthetic leg. His initial thoughts was to just invert the system so that he could control it with his right foot, but the idea was quickly scratched as he considered all the ways the cabling could get tangled and how his body would then have to shift opposite of Toothless', and that simply wouldn't work because he couldn't control it. He naturally moved the same as Toothless when they flew.

The next idea was actually two with him trying to decide if he should try to revisit the hand-control option he'd considered back when first making the tail, or if he should make himself a new foot that would work with the system that mostly already existed. The second option won pretty quickly as Toothless was unwilling to revisit the hand-control idea, and Hiccup thought about how awkward it would be and how hard multi-tasking while flying would be.

All together, it took about three weeks before Hiccup finally had a full-fledged system that he thought would work. The pedal was now a part-metal contraption, his new half-wood half-metal foot snapped and locked into place, the new tail was red with a white skull with horns and if anyone noticed the skull looked a lot like the traditional viking-skull marking they said nothing.

"You ready?" Hiccup asked Toothless, placing his bandaged left-hand on the Fury's shoulder, and Toothless snorted an affirmative as his muscles coiled and stretched with anticipation.

Hiccup looked beside him and found comfort in the fact that Talia and Eret had chosen to come with him on the test drive. Hookfang and Stormfly acted as their temporary mounts for the flight, and they waited for Toothless and him to take the lead.

Crouching in perfect sync, Hiccup and Toothless launched into the air and flew over the encampment the BlueBlazer crew had made on Dragon's Edge. The flipped and dove, swooping passed Ug and startling him as he drank some water, and then shooting out towards the ocean and the beach, the water sparkling with the early-afternoon sunlight. They swooshed around seastacks, leaped off of a fallen tree, and dove between dragons as they flew as fast as they could with Eret and Talia following close behind.

Hiccup let out a whoop as they straightened out over the camp, and then he pressed his heel back as Toothless looked upward. Together they shot into the sky, and Toothless let out a roar as they flew in the bright sunlight of that late Spring day.


	26. Distant Memories

**Music:** "Roxas's Theme" by Lizz Robinett (youtuber)

_NOTES: "If there ever comes a day, when we can't be together, keep me in your heart, I'll stay there forever."_

**Chapter 26: Distant Memories**

The waves lapped gently against the shore and sloshed underneath the docks on an early Saturday morning. The air was crisp, the sky a pale blue with a stain of light gold at the bottom of the horizon as the sun slowly rose into the sky. The nearly-Full moon was still visible just above the golden light, unwilling to release the sky fully to the sun just yet.

Emma stood at the end of the dock, dressed in a simple white dress that ended mid-shin with light ruffles and matching sleeves. Her hair was loose and flowed behind her with her dress as a gentle breeze whispered passed, carrying a song she could only faintly hear nowadays. In her hands she held a Prophecy Ball, the fog inside swirling quietly, slowly.

She was looking out at the sea with saddened eyes, but still she let them slide shut and followed the music into song...

* * *

_"Forgotten days, a fading memory..."_

Jack was in his forged investigation room, slowly collecting all of the papers, bits, and pieces he'd pulled together over the course of the year. He tried not to look at any of it too hard, but instead focused on making sure every last thing got placed into the plain case folder for filing he'd labeled 'Hiccup'.

Several weeks had passed since the day they found out about the prophecy. For the most part, Hogwarts seemed normal. The greyness that had taken over the castle after Hiccup's death was lessened with the return of the Guardians and the joy of Lady Tremaine being removed from her position, though, like a shadow, it was still there and most of them knew that it would probably never truly go away.

The fifth years' O.W.L. exams had come and gone in the blink of an eye, and though the whole affair was still stressful and nerve-wracking, it had seemed somewhat insignificant in comparison to what had already occurred that year. And, if he was being completely honest, Jack couldn't find the energy to care much. Later, perhaps, he'd be excited about them and desperate to know if he'd be able to pursue a career as an Auror, but for now he was drained and needed some time to himself.

The cruel irony of it all made him smirk darkly. He normally hated being alone, but nothing had really felt _Normal_ for quite some time. At least, to him it hadn't.

Having finally gotten every last piece into the folder, Jack picked up the file and gently folded it closed, his chest aching with the finality of it. He knew this was what was best. For Everyone. He needed to stay focused on the battle with Pitch and the possibility of War on the horizon. He needed to put his energy into making sure no one else got hurt. He couldn't keep seeking someone he'd already lost. He knew that. But it didn't change the fact that he felt pretty lost himself, or the pain he felt at doing it.

He tucked the folder under his arm and left the room, letting the door click shut quietly behind him and then walking off to the Office of Records for the school where all important records were eventually archived. It was normally empty as students didn't really have any reason to be there, but Bunny had suggested letting his work be filed there instead of just throwing it out, and since Jack couldn't bring himself to do the latter, he decided filing it would be the best option.

He followed Dr. Doppler to the back where the medium sized filing room was, and the Professor smiled at him with a knowing and understanding smile as he showed him an empty drawer in the 'H' section. Jack ignored the look and took a deep breath before putting the folder in the drawer.

He left fairly quickly after that. Not wanting to give himself time to dwell on it.

He just walked after that, blindly going wherever his feet decided to take him as his eyes hazed in and out of focus between the bustling halls of the school and memories long past. But perhaps allowing himself to numbly find his way to somewhere quiet wasn't the best of ideas when he found himself outside, his feet brushing through the dew-soaked grass as he walked towards one of the hills between the castle and the Quidditch pitch. It gave a view of the chasm below the school and out at the sea in the distance. The space had a few trees which changed with the seasons and a few stones that encased precious names of people long passed.

Jack focused on the stone farthest from the others, underneath the largest tree. He remembered coming here when the leaves were gold and fiery, covering the ground so thoroughly he had to brush them off of the stone to read the bottom inscription. Today, though, the tree was a deep green and the leaves rustled in the gentle breeze as Jack knelt in front of the the headstone.

 _"In Loving Memory, Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III"_ was the inscription on the headstone while the plate on the ground in front of it read; _"Never Forgotten, Forever Missed."_

Jack sucked in a breath and tried for a weak smile, crouching before the memorial stone. "Hi, Hiccup... I -I know I haven't really come around here in a while... Or at all... I just -I needed some time." He closed his eyes and took another breath when he felt his eyes swelling, but it didn't really help, so he just opened his eyes and kept going with a wobbly voice that cracked every once and a while. "I haven't forgotten about you, I promise, I just thought that maybe, I don't know, that I could fix this... That I could get you back somehow... But I'm doing better now, er, I'm trying, I guess. I'm going to start training with the Guardians again, they've already agreed to it and everything. I swear I'm gonna keep everyone safe. I won't let you down again."

Letting out a heavy breath all at once, Jack looked down at his hands clasped together and bit his lip, and if a drop or two slipped from the corners of his eyes, well, nobody was around to see it. He inhaled through his nose, half-sniffing, and then looked up again at the simple headstone.

He didn't know what to say. He wanted to keep talking, to feel close to him somehow, someway. But he could only sit there in the silence, waiting for some sarcastic reply or witty remark that would never come. Because, ultimately, the past was gone and there was no bringing it back, which was what was hurting him the most. He knew that.

But still he kept yearning for a light lost in time long ago.

* * *

_"Pleading with Fate, to be forgiving..."_

Merida stood with her hands on her hips as she watched two second-years practice their dueling stances in the Room of Requirement. Several students of varying levels were spread about the room, grouped together to work on different techniques and such in a more casual setting than their meetings.

While the Guardians knew about the Dueling Club, none of the students had told them where it was, and they didn't ask. Merida took that as an okay to keep the Dueling Club going as a meeting and training place specifically for the students because even though Bunnymund had returned to teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts, doubling his teaching load as North focused on the battle with Pitch, the Ministry was still within Hogwarts. Merida figured that the Dueling Club would be a good way to practice, but also to escape from the adults and all of the harsh seriousness of impending danger.

Merida didn't know exactly how it happened, but she assumed that because she'd been the main teacher before the Guardians' return, the other students had just decided to make her the leader of the Dueling Club; a role she fell into easily. It gave her something to do. A purpose. She watched over the younger students, teaching them how to better defend themselves and sparred with her peers and upper-classmen to keep their skills sharp.

She was going to make damn sure that everyone knew how to defend themselves should the need ever arise. And not just physical skills, but the mental skills she'd had to learn because they hadn't come very naturally to her. She'd already given a few lessons about battle tactics to a few small groups of younger classmen, explaining to them the advantages of numbers and how to compensate when you found yourself lacking said numbers in certain situations.

And, if she was being honest, Merida had taken full advantage of the work that 'needed' to be done for the Dueling Club, and if anyone noticed her obsessing over insignificant little details these past few weeks, no one said anything. She liked that. She liked having work to stay focused on. Despite the other probably thinking that she was avoiding it, Merida actually was trying to process her emotions in a productive way, and slowly she was picking up all of the shards and figuring out how to piece them together. Staying active and helpful in some way was helping her. She needed to feel like she was doing something to make sure _His_ sacrifice didn't mean nothing.

She wanted people to know that their friendship had a meaning.

But she also knew that letting herself get worn out would only leave her vulnerable to Pitch's attacks; physical or emotional. So when Camicazi and Eep came to her, asking her to take a rest and come with them to get lunch in the Great Hall, she agreed. As she collected her bag and bid the younger students farewell for the time being, she reminded herself that this is what he would want. He'd want them to be smart and to be happy. So she'd try her hardest to keep his memory close and let it guide her. She'd be smart and strong and someday maybe she'd remember what it was like to smile and laugh without a care.

She'd keep hoping for that dream she lost to the sunrise every morning.

* * *

_"Reasons ignored, no longer caring how long it may take just to mend the heartbreak..."_

The corridor was heavy with traffic as students of all years shifted around, trying to get to their final exams. Rapunzel stood to the side of the chaos with two first-years', pointing the numbers on their schedules that indicated what room their exam was in and explaining where it was.

With final exam week almost at an end the stress and excitement of the end of the year was coming down to the pleasant relaxed feeling that always came with the warmth of the summer sun. Rapunzel, for the most part, was finished with her exams and was helping Dr. Sweet to restock the school infirmary and dry herbs before storing them away. In her spare time she tended to her prefect duties, studied, and overall tried to help the first-years get the hang of their first final exam week.

She looked up from helping the first-years and something at the corner of her eye caught her attention. She turned her head to get a better look and confirmed what she had thought; a tired and slightly haggard looking Jack walking through the corridor, coming from the direction of the Quidditch pitch. Or, more accurately, the fields out by the Quidditch pitch.

Rapunzel's breath caught in her throat for a second and then she forced herself to slowly exhale a long breath. He'd been visiting Hiccup's memorial stone, she was sure of it. And who could blame him? This hurt wasn't the kind one could just brush aside and forget. Rapunzel would be surprised if it ever healed at all, at least, in it's entirety.

Jack passed them, looking like he was carrying much more than just his own weight, but he gave her a small nod to indicate that he saw her, and Rapunzel nodded back. Neither of them smiled, but that was okay. Jack didn't need false promises of weak smiles and underlining message of 'everything will be okay'. They were lost and unsure. For now Jack just needed time, and when he was ready to talk and smile through his tears, he would come to them.

Rapunzel took another deep breath and pushed a gentle smile onto her face as she turned back to the two first-years. They were both looking up at her with confused expressions. For a few minutes Rapunzel didn't know what they were thinking, and then it suddenly hit her: Neither of them knew who Hiccup was. None of the first-years did.

No doubt they'd heard about him in passing every now and then, but they'd never met the small and sarcastic Ravenclaw for themselves. They'd never seen him leave students and teachers alike awestruck with his magical talent, they'd never known what it was like to hear his and Jack's laughter echoing down the corridors as they raced away from an angry Bunnymund, they'd never seen the kindness of big green eyes... And the part that made Rapunzel's heart constrict painfully inside her chest was that they would never Know. They would never Hear. They would never See. And neither would the first-years to come with the knew school year. Or the generation after that, or the generation after that.

Slowly, and yet so much more painfully faster than they'd realized, Hiccup was fading from the memory of Hogwarts.

One day they would all be graduating, getting ready to face the world before them with all of their hopes and dreams, and... Hiccup wouldn't be there. They'd have the memories and the stories, yes always, but that's all there would ever be again. Hiccup, to them and to all the first-years to follow, was just another story.

_"A distant fragment of nobody important..."_

Despite the tightness in her chest and the burning in her eyes, Rapunzel forced another smile and jumped into directing the first-years again, sending them off while they still looked questioningly at her for reasons beyond their exam schedules. Rapunzel didn't stay to see them off though, she was already turning away and striding off toward the Infirmary where Dr. Sweet and plenty of work awaited her.

And as she walked away, she felt her heart ache, wishing for a day lost in their memories.

* * *

The corridor of the main staircase was dark, the only light coming from the flickering torches on the wall, which cast long shadows dancing across the floors. The soft padding of Jack's feet on the stone floor seemed to echo in the stillness of the space, the only other noise being a quiet murmuring, coming from beyond the shut doors of the Great Hall. The Winter Sprite looked up from the floor and found Merida and Rapunzel already standing there, facing each other, but not talking. Jack quietly joined their small triangle and for a very long moment they simply looked at each other, letting all of the despair, exhaustion, and regret flood their expressions as they stood in each others' presence.

After a few long moments of complete stillness, they all suddenly moved at the same time and in the next instant they were wrapped in a group hug that felt one person short. They took shaky breaths and rubbed each other's backs comfortingly as they all blinked back their tears, but as they slowly pulled away there was a new resolve settled firmly in their eyes.

"I guess this is it then..." Jack mumbled, his voice sounding loud in his own ears.

"Yeah," Rapunzel murmured as she nodded in agreement. "It's time."

They looked at the looming doors of the Great Hall, and a feeling of dread clawed its way up Jack's spine. But he squared his shoulders and lifted his chin, determined to not show how twisted and damaged his insides were.

"Do you think we can do this?" Merida asked them as they stayed grouped together, no one wanting to admit the real question she wanted to ask.

_Do you think we can do this without him?_

And the truth was, none of them really knew if they could. It had always been the four of them as a team. One of them not being there left a place that could never be filled; a hole in their defense, a gap in their offense. But with everything that had happened, Jack didn't see how they could afford to fail. He'd never forgive himself if Hiccup's sacrifice ended up being in vain. If losing him meant absolutely nothing in the end. It made Jack sick just thinking about it, and, from their hardened expressions, Jack could tell that Rapunzel and Merida felt the same.

They made eye contact with each other, and nodded in understanding.

"For Hiccup," Jack said, sticking his fist out to them.

"For Hiccup," Merida agreed, meeting his fist with hers.

"For Hiccup," Rapunzel confirmed, placing her fist against theirs.

They pressed their fists together in that promise and then pulled away, turning to face the Great Doors. Rapunzel stood in the middle with Jack on her left and Merida on her right as they listened to the soft muttering of the crowd beyond the doors. They stood in comfortable silence for a few minutes as they waited for their cue, and then the doors opened.

The Great Hall was alive with the end of year feast. All of the students were turned, looking at them in awe as the Guardians stood waiting for them at the top of the dais. The Hufflepuff, the Gryffindor, and the Slytherin calmly began walking down the center aisle, making their way out of the shadowy entrance way and into the light and warmth of the hall. When they reached the dais they stood at the bottom of the steps, lifting their eyes to North as he opened his arms grandly and began his speech.

"Though we stand in times of trials and uncertainty, today we celebrate and welcome three young wizards of exceptional talents to become Guardians under the mentor-ship and tutelage of myself, Toothiana, and Sandman!" North announced, eliciting grins and excited cheers from most of the other students.

"Will you, Princess Rapunzel of Corona, Princess Merida of DunBroch, and Jackson Overland Frost, vow to watch over the children of the world? To guard them with your life, their hopes, their wishes, and their dreams. For they are all that we have, all that we are, and all that we will ever be."

"I Will." Rapunzel said clearly, taking a deep breath to steady herself.

"I Will." Merida declared, steeling herself before everyone and lifting her chin.

"I Will." Jack vowed, his heart constricting painfully but outwardly he showed no emotion whatsoever.

"Then from this day on you are Jack Frost the Guardian of Fun," North announced nodding to Jack.

"Princess Merida the Guardian of Destiny." He proclaimed with another nod to Merida.

"And Princess Rapunzel the Guardian of Nobility." Finally he nodded to Rapunzel and then addressed them all, his arms spread wide once again.

"Now you all are Guardians!"

Cheers exploded throughout the Great Hall and the Guardians stepped aside to make room on the dais for the three newest Guardians. They walked up the steps, a memory of confetti and bright smiles dancing in their minds, and they turned around to face their fellow students together.

Rapunzel lifted her chin, Merida squared her shoulders, and Jack stretched out of his usual casual slouch to his full height. They reached for each other's hands and held tight as they stood before the cheering crowd, turning their faces up to the light.

_"For Hiccup."_


	27. One Day

**Music:** "One Day" by Hans Zimmer (Pirates of the Caribbean)

**Epilogue: One Day**

Deep underground, in a dark, damp cavern, shadowed figures were gathered together in a large open space, spiked iron cages hanging from the roof by dark chains above their heads, ancient stone ruins beneath their feet. Their voices were dark and angry mutterings that echoed indistinctly off of the walls, but all was hushed as Pitch Black stormed into the room with two shadow stallions flanking him while the Monkey King followed behind him.

"What does the prophecy of an old and crazy pirate even matter? We should keep our efforts focused toward our battle plans for the coming war!" The Monkey King insisted.

"Though Grimbeard wasn't the most mentally sound, there is still the fact that he is the ancestor of my dragon child!" Pitch growled at the Monkey, making him shy away slightly as the stallions pranced anxiously. "That prophecy very well may have contained the information I would need to convince the boy to join me!"

"Oh, what does he even matter?!" Gothel shouted, throwing her arms down as she glared at Pitch, her old and wrinkly appearance making her more horrifying than usual. "He's rejected you! You can't even sense him anymore! His magic protects him from you! What good will a sniveling brat do you?! _We_ have been by you side! _I_ have given my life in dedication to you! But still you chase this -this _Boy_!"

"This boy could very well decide the course of this War," Pitch's voice was deadly low, snarling through gritted teeth. "And I seek him for the very same reason the Guardians have chosen to train those three nuisances: a student. An apprentice to follow me and be devoted to my ideals. To grant my vision immortality! So that even though I may pass, my presence will not be forgotten in this world, but feared for all eternity!"

"What good is a future line if you have nothing but a broken army to pass on?" Eris hissed from a dark corner of the room as her amber eyes flashed furiously.

"You _dare_ question me?" Pitch snapped back whirling on his generals and finding satisfaction in their flinches and wary expression. "Perhaps one of you would like to try a take my place? To prove your superiority over me..." Pitch's voice was as dark as the growing shadows around him, black tendrils reaching out to curl around and squeeze the life out of something.

"No! No, Sir! We wouldn't dream of betraying you!" The Monkey King cried, backing down as the shadows cooled toward him.

"Please, my lord! Have mercy!" Scroop, the spider-crab creature who served him during their raid of the Ministry begged.

Not nearly satisfied by their fear, but growing bored of their sniveling, Pitch reigned in his magic and the shadows fell still once again. It was enough to prove to them that _he_ was still in charge, _he_ made the decisions, and _he_ had the ultimate power. _They_ served _him_.

"I don't care what your plans are, Sorcerer. My only concern is you keeping your end of our agreement." Bular rumbled, glowering at the Dark Sorcerer who turned to face him.

"You will get the Eye Stone, but only if you do as you're told." Pitch snarled back. "As for the battle with the Guardians, I have already calculated our next move. One that will begin an era even more deadly than the Dark Ages. One that will throw the entire world into chaos and fear. Our next move will begin a new War." Pitch's low chuckles began to build until his cackling filled the entire cavern, slowly followed by his generals and a satisfied smirk from Bular...

* * *

The sky was a pale blue with brilliant shades of yellow, orange, and pink painting the sky as the sun kissed the horizon, beginning its decent from the heavens. Hiccup stood at the edge of the short dock they had constructed during their stay on the island for fishing, but he often considered the benefits of extending it for an anchoring place for the BlueBlazer rather than leaving her beached on the sand a little ways down the coast.

Hiccup was dressed simply with only his green shirt and pants he'd worn when he first came to Dragon's Edge as well as the worn bandages that covered his left hand. In the back of his mind he noted how his clothing was well-worn and a bit tattered. Very much the clothes of a feral Dragon Boy. But his mind didn't linger on it because his fingers fidgeted with his wand, the familiar feel of the smooth, twisted wood was comforting and also gut-wrenching at the same time.

He looked at it with a heavy heart, and then lifted his head to the fiery sky. He knew what he had to do. This was what was best for everyone. But that didn't make it any easier.

Toothless quietly walked up to his side, letting his wing fall across Hiccup's shoulders in a comforting gesture, and the boy looked up at the dragon. It wasn't so much the uncertainty that bothered him, in fact he was actually getting quite used to that feeling in particular, no, it was the hope. All of the 'what if's' that had kept him holding on so tight for so long already.

 _"You know,"_ Toothless murmured as Hiccup's eyes fell back to his wand again, his voice very quiet and very soft. _"Growth is Painful. Change is Painful. But nothing is as Painful as staying stuck somewhere you don't belong."_ The Night Fury's gaze was steady as the boy looked up at him once again with a heavy intake of breath. _"...Sometimes you have to accept the fact that certain things will never go back to how they used to be."_

Hiccup slowly and purposefully exhaled, trying to steady himself with the sound of Toothless's calm heartbeat. The two leaned forward and pressed their foreheads together, their magics naturally reaching for each other.

Toothless was right of course, and Hiccup already knew this, though he couldn't seem to bring himself to say it out loud. As much as he wanted to fit into that world, as much as he wanted to be with the people who had raised him in the place of his birth, as much as he wanted to stand side-by-side with his friends; he simply did not belong. His place, his people, was with dragons. With Toothless, his _Twin-Flame_. Two halves of _One-Soul_. They needed each other for their survival.

He was pulled from his thoughts be heavy, yet quiet steps on the dock. He knew that it was Eret long before the older man had stopped beside him simply from the sound and the scent that reached his nostrils. The Captain settled on his right side, opposite Toothless, with his arms crossed over his broad chest and his eyes gazing out at the sea and sky. He inhaled deeply and let it out on a content hum of a sigh, though Hiccup could tell he was more thoughtful than content.

"Beautiful sunset, isn't it?" He asked lightly, his voice gruff but soft in volume.

"Yeah," Hiccup breathed out on something a little louder than a murmur, his voice almost jumping into yelp or cracking territory from going so long without use.

"They've got everything ready up there," Eret informed him after turning his head to look at the young boy who kept his gaze fixed on the horizon. Eret glanced down at his hands, noticing the wand. "Talia's already started, so whenever you're ready..." Eret tried again, not quite prying but hoping to get some kind of read on the boy.

"Okay." Hiccup nodded, but kept his eyes forward and his grip unconsciously tightened around the wand. Understanding dawned on Eret with that small action, and after taking a small moment to collect himself, he smiled and looked out at the sea again.

"I don't know much about who you were before or what you left behind... Or should I say _who_ you left behind?" Eret paused to see if the younger pirate would respond, but he said nothing. "Considering what you were willing to go through for them, well, you must care about them very much..."

Hiccup nodded, sparing a glance at Eret, which if the Captain noticed the shadows of fear and sadness in his eyes, he chose to say nothing about them. "And that's why I have to do this." Hiccup muttered determinedly, but it sounded as though he was trying to convince himself more so then Eret.

The pirate placed his hand on the Dragon Boy's shoulder, large and calloused, but a firm hold that helped to ground the young boy. "But it's still not an easy thing to do." Eret murmured sympathetically and Hiccup looked up at him in surprise. Eret offered him a gentle smile. "We pirates are often faced with change and the need to adapt, which unfortunately means being able to let go of what you care about when there's no other way to hold on. When those times come there's this old saying we like to remember; If you love something, set it free. If it comes back, then it's yours. If it doesn't, it was never yours to have."

Hiccup stayed silent as the words sunk into his mind and his heart, and he found it a little strange when his thoughts went back to the Cove on Berk and the time when he'd given Toothless the tail that would allow him to fly on his own. He had thought it the end of their friendship. He had believed he'd never see the dragon again.

Looking up at Toothless now, Hiccup found a renewed sense of comfort and Hope. Not the hope of a 'what if', but the Hope that one day things would be _Different_. And it made him smile as music brushed his ears, offering him comfort in the from of song as he blew up in the breeze with the ocean mist.

And if this prophecy the Guardians believed in turned out to be true, then Hiccup would make sure to stay far, far away from Rapunzel, Merida, and Jack. Because his instinct to protect his pack was as strong as any other dragons'. So he would do everything within his power to ensure he would never hurt them, or any of their other friends. At least... Not anymore than he already had. He would take comfort in knowing that, even though he couldn't fight beside them, he could protect them from afar.

Eret and Toothless moved back down the dock to offer the boy some space as he took a small step forward, shifting the weight of the wand into his left hand, his good hand, and as the sky burned in brilliant color with the setting sun, the Dragon Boy took a few running steps, raised his arm up, and _Threw_ the wand. The wand hit the ocean water a few yards out to sea with a small splash and the boy's chest expanded with a sudden ability to breathe, his shoulders feeling a little lighter.

After looking out at the water for a few moments, he straightened his back to stand tall and lifted his chin. The former Ravenclaw turned away from the water and began making his way out of the light of the setting sun and into the waiting shadow of his dragon's wings as he, Toothless, and Eret started towards the makeshift huts farther up the cliff-face.

Arriving at the huts, Eret lifted the cloth flap that had been hung in the door way, allowing the boy to step through with his Night Fury right behind him. As Eret had said, Talia was already sitting down near the center of the room and No-Name carefully sketched out a sparrow tattoo on the back of her neck. Tiny rubies caught and glittered with sunlight from their black-metal frames that formed the studs in Talia's ears.

Eret gestured a little off to the side to where Tiny and Ug stood, waiting. A second stool was set up along with a small table with all of the tools for they would need for the tattoos and piercings. They moved over to the pair, and Talia shot him a bright smile as he sat down, which he returned with a half-smile of his own. The boy bent forward slightly as he pulled off his shirt, nodding to Tiny as the large man set about getting the needles and ink while Ug was already approaching with the small golden hoops.

Eret set a heavy hand back on his shoulder, comforting and also checking to make sure this was what he wanted, and he smiled at the older man, nodding a reassurance.

After all, what was a pirate without his piercings and tattoos?

* * *

The night air was cool and refreshing, smelling of the salty waters that gently rocked the ship on that peaceful night. Papers and empty cups and bottles littered the deck of the ship. Ug was passed out on a crate near the door to the Captain's quarters, snoring. The sound, though loud, didn't travel well with the breeze and ocean waves drowning it out, leaving the night peaceful under the light of a thin crescent moon and more stars then could ever be counted.

His metal prosthetic clinked quietly against the wooden deck with every other step as he slipped out of the belly of the ship where the rest of the crew was resting. His back and ears were still sore and inflamed, leaving him feeling achy, but he didn't mind it too much. No, the real pain came more from his prosthetic, which was much harder to get used to than the tiny hoops pierced into the helix of his ears. He had no doubt that the pain of his leg would also linger for much longer.

They were on the move again, they were pirates after all, and after giving Talia and him a day to heal they'd all packed up and set sail, the crew quickly pulling out the small reserves of alcohol to celebrate their two newly officiated crew-mates. He and Talia were still sour toward Eret for not letting them have any because apparently they'd joined the only pirate crew with a Captain who worried about younglings drinking.

He slowly climbs the steps to the bridge, his foot brushing passed a newspaper they managed to pick up from a trader earlier that day. One of the pages announced Dagur the Deranged as the new Chief of the Berserker Tribe and discussed how that might effect the politics of the Archipelago. It had worried him for a little while after he'd woken up that Dagur might spread the news of everything he'd seen and heard, but according to some contacts of Eret's the Berserker Chief had no way of presenting proof without condemning himself... And he had a sneaking suspicion that Dagur might hold onto this as a grudge, wanting to take him in himself.

But for now he chose not to worry about such things.

The front page of the paper held a picture of much greater interest anyways, depicting the Guardians standing in the Great Hall of Hogwarts as they honored their three newest members. The bestowed titles are fitting, he thinks, and it hurts as much as it makes him smile because he simply couldn't stop the feeling of pride from clenching in his chest. He wouldn't dwell on it though, he'd done enough of that. He'd use that feeling for something productive.

He stopped by the railing of the ship, looking out over the sea that reflected the sky. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, letting it out in a soft sigh. A small, breezy mew made him smile, and his long, cat-like pupils were surrounded with a bright green glow. Three little furies floated into his view before him, Blue, Yellow, and Red. Like little spirits they flew about him, whispering delight in their soft mews and gentle coos. He held out his hand, palm open to the sky, and the little Night Furies settled before him with curious looks and tilting their heads.

"Go," He told them. "Protect them."

The Furies perked at his command, seeming to understand it instantly, and they flew upwards a little before their glowing burned brighter, like miniature stars right before his eyes. They circled around him once more, and then the lights shot off into the night. As quick as shooting stars, they disappeared, leaving behind only a soft breeze that pulled him in the direction they had gone, but he remained. He stood firm in his place with his eyes shut and a fist over his heart. When he opened his eyes they were filled with sadness, but he smiled.

And in a distant land, as the people lay sleeping, three spirits found three new hearts to settle in, glowing faintly and then disappearing from sight as unseen and unheard protectors.

Lights to protect them from the Darkness.

* * *

_Rapunzel, Merida, Jack, Hiccup, Toothless, and Their Friends will all return in..._

**Lights In Darkness**


End file.
